Baby, Baby
by Devabbi
Summary: AU. Chance worships the band called Demonica. The lead singer, Inuyasha, is her hero because he's a partdemon like her. When another halfsie shows up at school, she finds herself in over her head. COMPLETE
1. Wishful Thinking and the Chase

Chance sat out on the back porch, legs crossed and hitting an unwound wire coat hanger against the ground in a quick beat. "I know a dark, secluded place; a place where no one knows your face. A glass of wine; a fast embrace; it's called Hernando's Hideaway, ole..." she sang softly. The rest of the song ran through her mind as she looked around the backyard of her small home.  
  
About five feet in front of her as she sat diagonally on the back porch (to the left), was a beat-up, white-washed dog house, where an old dog sat, asleep. The grass didn't stretch far; there was a five-foot-wide patch of dirt and, on occasion, a weed. In the back left corner of the yard was a hole the dog had dug to keep cool in the summer. In the back right corner of the yard was a pile of dirt about five feet high. Then there was the rickety gate... and the old, spackle-painted garage that was supposed to be white but now was a rusty yellow. Then the water heater... the place to get under the house... the bathroom window... the kitchen window... the gas monitor... and last, the porch that led to the back door where Chance sat.  
  
Chance was an odd girl. She looked kind of, but claimed that she wasn't. She didn't have a father; not that she knew of. She had silver hair and bright blue eyes and two dog ears that her mother had never explained to her. She had a good nose and could smell B.O. like no other. She sighed some, her hearing catching yet another siren waning down the street to her left. "I sure wish I could be in Hernando's Hideaway." she said quietly.  
  
Her brother, Christian, knew about as much as she did. He was seven years older than her, though he retained little memory of his younger years. She rarely saw him anymore; he was in the Air Force. Christian was almost her opposite in looks; he had amber-gold eyes and pitch black hair. The memories were starting to make Chance's head hurt.  
  
Chance shook her smoky hair out of her azure hues and looked back toward the concrete that she'd been staring at for the past half hour blankly and singing whatever song came into her mind.  
  
"Chance, dinner's ready." called Rin from the kitchen.  
  
"Be right there." she called back in. She hooked the hanger back in the doghouse. The old dog didn't move besides a blink at her. She massaged his head a bit before going back inside. Her mother had fixed her favorite; ramen with a side of steamed zucchini and broccoli. A lot of people thought her weird for liking that, but she didn't care. Her ears twitched under the cap that she fancied wearing. It was a gray cap that resembled the ones that she witnessed paperboys wearing in the movies set in 1800's and early 1900's.  
  
"Christian is coming for a visit next month. Are you excited?" asked Rin, Chance's mother. Chance only nodded, continuing to eat with a passion that made Rin sigh forlornly.  
  
"Mom, how come I've never had a dad?" Chance asked once again. She asked it every Monday night, right after another fresh dose of teasing for not having a father, her stupid cap, her eyes, her hair... She growled at the thought but calmed down with another bite of her ramen.  
  
"I've told you before, Chance, I don't wish to talk about that." replied Rin sharply. "Now eat your dinner before it gets cold." Chance didn't say anything after that, but she was thinking that someday she'd have to know. Chance is sixteen. Thus being eleven months after her last birthday, she will only been sixteen for another month now. Her brother would turn 21 in little less than a week. "It will be his birthday, so I want you to be on your best behavior."  
  
Chance nodded. She wouldn't be; she'd probably be the exact opposite. It wasn't that Chance was a bad child; it was that she was rebellious. She didn't have a father, she had no clue who he was or where he was. He was nonexistent, and had been since before she could remember. Christian had told her that he had fleeting memories and dreams of a man with long silver- white hair and amber eyes. Most of the time he told her that it was just a dream, though.  
  
"I'll find out sooner or later, mom." Chance stated, putting her dish into the sink.  
  
"I know, but I won't be the one to tell you."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I'm not comfortable with telling you the story."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Rin sighed. "Because, Chance, I believe that your father himself should tell you."  
  
Chance got the same answer every time, but she never knew what the hell it meant. Today, something had popped up in her imagination from a book she had read. "Does that mean that he's been hiding from me? Or maybe he's dead and you just don't want to break it to me. Maybe he's just an overall asshole and you're trying to protect me. Any of those correct?" Rin shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek. Chance sighed, shaking her head. "Stupid curiosity. Sorry, mom."  
  
Rin nodded and Chance headed for her bedroom. Picking up the new book she had rented out from the library, she sat down on her mattress of a bed and turned on the fan to keep cool. The book, Scribbler of Dreams, was just her type of book; a hopeless romance that turns up with an ending that leaves most everything to the imagination. She set it down about an hour later, completely finished with the 300-page book and looked around her room randomly. She considered, for a moment, going outside and daydreaming on top of the doghouse, but it was already dark out.  
  
She rolled over on her bed, deciding on sleep, even though her watch stated that it was only 8:30. "Mom, I'm going to bed. Wake me in the morning." she called over her shoulder as she pulled the blanket over her shoulders and laid her head on the pillow.  
  
"Chance, I'm leaving for work." said Rin, gently shaking Chance. Chance awoke and rubbed her eyes, sitting up some. She had a small sack lunch waiting for her on her desk and the small fee for her bus fare. She changed her clothes and put the bus fare in her pocket. She slung her backpack up onto her desk and put her lunch into it, as well as her library books and P.E. clothes. Placing the old backpack on her shoulder, she took off her cap and bandana to shake out her ears a bit before going to school where she could never take it off.  
  
Flexing them some, she sighed. They brought back a few memories of a someone whom she would never meet. Back when she was small, when she couldn't sleep or she'd had a bad dream, someone (she figured her father, the fingers were too large and rough to be her mother's) would rub her ears gently to coax her to sleep. Every time, it worked like a charm. Sighing, she remembered that scent that she hadn't known for years. She'd never forget it though; trees and forests, rivers and wild berries. Through with her short reverie, she returned the bandana and cap to her head and headed out the door and for the bus stop.  
  
When she arrived, she got the usual jabs about her hair, backpack, clothing, cap... the usual. She ignored the lot of it, instead sitting on the curb behind the bus stop. It was a usual Tuesday and Chance had nothing better to do than prop her head up and stare out to the horizon pointlessly. Her ears twitched shortly under the bandana and cap she was wearing and her head turned slightly to look across the street. There was a flash of black; a short one, but she knew she saw it. She followed the black until it went into the restaurant, Wendy's, behind her. She stared at the back of black. The red spot had silver hair. She looked at it suspiciously, but let it go. About a year ago she had tried to find her father, and it hadn't worked out. She wouldn't try that again.  
  
She pushed her bangs somewhat out of her eyes and turned to jog into the bus that she almost missed. She sat down near the back and continued to daydream. She got up when they arrived at her school and she headed for the auditorium stairs. She sat on the top one with her friend, Bridgit.  
  
"Hey, Chance." said Bridgit. "Anything interesting going on?"  
  
"Nope... I saw another flash of black this morning at the bus stop, but nothing otherwise."  
  
"Figures."  
  
"Mhm..." Chance surrendered to daydreaming again. What had her father been like? Was he loving? Did he even know she was alive? Did he even care if he did know? Did he care about her? Did he know about her? Did he know about Christian? Sighing again, she looked over at Bridgit and Chelsey. Chelsey had just arrived, Bailey shortly after her.  
  
They were her only friends. She knew about six other people at this school who were civil to her, rounding out to about ten, but that was pretty much it. Her best friend had moved up north a while back, and she still kept in touch every now and then. "This weekend still on at your place, Bailey?" she asked the redheaded male.  
  
Bailey's green eyes turned to her and he nodded. "Yeah, I cleared it with my dad. You can bring Christian, if you want to. He's gonna be here, isn't he?"  
  
Chance nodded. "Yeah, he's gonna be here for a month before he goes to Japan. I'll bring him if he's willing to go, but he'll probably be a bit jet-lagged."  
  
"Hey, check out that guy over there. I hear he's the new kid they've been talking about." said Chelsey, pointing over at a guy standing alone against the office building, eyes closed.  
  
After they stared for a few moments, the guy's eyes opened to look over at them. "Woah, Chance, he looks like you." Chance was staring at the guy. He was wearing a pair of baggy jeans that half-covered his pair of Vans, a white muscle tee with a leather jacket over it. Not only that, but he had her silver-white hair and blue eyes like hers. Chance blinked at him, all her senses attuned to him.  
  
"Chance?" said Bailey. "Chance? Hello, Earth to Chance." Bailey waved a hand in her face, waking out of her daydream and bringing her back to reality.  
  
"Yeah, he does look like me. I'm curious."  
  
"Go talk to him." suggested Chelsey.  
  
"No way!" she cried. Her circle of friends gave a mischievous look that Chance definitely didn't like. She edged away from them, getting ready to run, but the bell rang. "Saved by the bell." said Chance, coining a popular phrase. She grinned at her scowling friends and headed for the school building. Bailey, Chelsey, and Bridgit headed the other way; they had other classes.  
  
The mystery man, now labeled MM by Chance for the time being, headed the same way as her. She was knocked and swayed in the traffic jam, until she was knocked aside by MM himself. She got up after he glared at her, a set look on her face as she walked behind him. He seemed to part the crowd easily, and this was probably the easiest walk through the halls she'd ever done. It was then that she caught a good whiff of him, of course being discreet, only to find that he smelt of something she'd never consciously smelt before; trees and forests, rivers and wild berries, only slightly different than the one she remembered.  
  
She growled lightly; it wasn't as if she had tried to growl, it kind of came naturally. The instincts that she knew she had kicked in and she resisted them, instead getting out from behind him to fight her way through the crowds and into her first period classroom. She sat herself next to Brooklyn, a friend of hers, still fuming as the boy dubbed MM came into the classroom.  
  
"Woah, Chance, what's up with you?" asked Brooklyn, eyeing her. Chance only nodded at MM. "Ooh, he's pretty cute. He say something to miff you off?" Chance shook her head and stayed silent. She was pretty sure she'd howl if she opened her mouth right about now. MM shot her a look over his shoulder and she had to dig her nails (which she had to file almost constantly to keep in check) into the desk's sides to keep her calm. Her eyes darkened, which she could feel. She didn't know why he pissed her off, but he did.  
  
Upon listening to the roll call, she found that MM's true name was Chase. Odd name, but then again, she and her brother had odder ones. Chance managed to get through English and Art Class with Chase, but P.E. was what bent through her limits. Of course, being that it was toward the end of the year, they were doing their swing dancing unit. The boys were in an inner circle and the girls filed in behind them. Whoever you stopped next to was who you were going to dance with.  
  
Mrs. Barclay must've hated her, because Chance ended up dancing with Chase. She was being pushed toward her breaking point when he made a comment. "What's with the hat and bandana trip?" he asked in a low, arrogant tone that she'd only heard her brother use. "Trying to copy me?" Chance, for the first time since she was in the second grade, followed her instincts.  
  
Chance growled on a low level at him, knowing that he'd understand it. "What the hell are you trying to pull, halfsie?" said her growl.  
  
"I'd like to know the same." he replied in a usual voice. She growled at him, her eyes narrowed but her feet never missing a beat. She twirled under his arm and he dipped her. "You're pretty light on your feet." he complimented.  
  
"What are you getting at?" she said suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing." he replied. He then growled at her, now knowing she'd understand. "All I want to know is why you smell like my father."  
  
Freezing, Chance stared at him. "Your father...?" she whispered. She blinked once before falling backwards and onto the gym floor. The fat one known as Mrs. Barclay bustled over and let Bailey, Chelsey, and Brianna make a fuss over her. Chase lifted her up and onto the bleachers where Bailey and the girls surrounded her, trying to get her to wake up.  
  
Sighing, Chase gave a jab at it. He tapped a spot just above where her ears should be buried under the bandana and cap. She gave a start and looked around. She spotted Chase and growled at him. He growled back.  
  
"If he's your father then why the hell do I smell like him?" she growled.  
  
"Hell if I know."  
  
One of Chance's eyebrows rose. "Maybe we're related."  
  
"It's possible."  
  
"After school, meet me outside the gym. Either that or I'll tear off one of your ears."  
  
"You wouldn't dare."  
  
"Don't underestimate me. I tried it on my brother once and he was whining for a week." He glared at her, and then walked away, both of them ceasing their low rumbles. Bailey, Chelsey, and Brianna looked at her with an odd look. "What?" she asked.  
  
"You were just having a growl fight with the new dude. Explanation?" said Bailey.  
  
Chance just shook her head. "I can't tell you guys." She looked over toward Mrs. Barclay. "I'm going home."  
  
Chase, from across the gym, looked over at her with his sharp azure eyes and she scowled. "Or not..." She ended up dancing with Chase for the last half hour of gym, which wasn't so bad now that they didn't hate each other. Instead, they talked (like humans) about their favorite bands and whatnot.  
  
"No way, you like Demonica? They rule!" said Chance, her eyes sparkling. She made a point right now that, if they weren't related in any way, to date this guy.  
  
"Note the hat." he replied, bowing his head to show her the Demonica logo on his hat.  
  
Chance sighed. "Weird. Almost uncanny, but not quite." There was a pause. "Do you like musicals?"  
  
"First time I hear the song, it's pretty catchy, but after a while they get really annoying." Blinking, Chance hummed Hernando's Hideaway. Chase smirked. "That one doesn't get old." The end-of-class bell sounded and Chase spun her out a last time before placing a kiss on her hand and grinning at her mischievously before heading toward the guy's locker room.  
  
Chance scowled. There was no way they could be related... the chances were probably a zillion to one. But then again, they looked almost exactly alike, only she had longer hair, a more femme face, and a few extra...attachments.  
  
After school, Chance and Chase walked out of the school together. Bailey, Chelsey, Brianna, Bridgit, and Devin were staring after them. Bailey shook his head. "Either they're gonna end up as a dynamic duo or a copious couple."  
  
"I'm putting my money on dynamic duo." said Brianna, filing her nails.  
  
"No way, copious couple is so much more obvious."  
  
Chase and Chance wandered down the street. Chance was checking her watch every so often to make sure she didn't miss her bus, but they still had a lot of time. "So..."  
  
"So." said Chase, repeating her sentence. "Where do you live?"  
  
"On Granada," Chance replied, "Just off Clark and Stearns."  
  
"Weird, I'm right around the block."  
  
"Guess we're taking the same bus then."  
  
"Nah, my dad is picking me up at McDonald's."  
  
Chance blinked. "Seriously?" Chase nodded. "Do you think I could meet him?" They were already across the street from Wendy's, so Chase pointed over at a sleek black Lincoln Navigator, with all-tinted windows. The driver's seat window began to roll down as they crossed the street, and Chance was shaking. It rolled down to show a woman that looked impeccably like Rin, Chance's mother, but Chance could tell it wasn't.  
  
Chase scowled. "Who's that?" asked Chance.  
  
"My mom; my dad must be out of town."  
  
"Chase, come on, you're gonna be late for practice!" said Matsuri as he got in the car. He only stared out the window at Chance and waved at her as they drove off. She got onto her bus and he watched in his rear-view mirror.  
  
Chance smartly sat on the porch eating a bit out of her small but plentiful sugar stash. She was reading her latest magazine of Teen People, which she got just to laugh at the embarrassing stories and, on occasion, do the quizzes.  
  
"Fancy meeting you here." said Chase as he rolled up on his bike.  
  
Looking up, Chance waved at him. "How long is your dad out of town?"  
  
"The rest of the month is what it looks like." he replied, coming to sit on the porch with her. "You look anxious; you waiting for someone?"  
  
"Yeah, just my brother; he should've been here an hour ago."  
  
"His flight was probably delayed."  
  
"Probably." They lapsed into a comfortable silence, both of them reading the embarrassing stories and laughing at them.  
  
Around six o'clock, Rin pulled up in her beat-up Explorer. She went into the house and called 'I'm home!' only to hear a few giggles that sounded like her daughter's and a masculine laugh. She raised an eyebrow and headed for the back yard. Looking out the back window, she saw Chance lying on the back lawn (over a blanket) with a boy next to her. They were both pointing up at the clouds and laughing.  
  
"Look at that one! It looks like Shippo's head from the Nevermind cover." Chance, after scrutinizing it for a moment, laughed and nodded.  
  
"That one looks like a bear."  
  
"Which one?" asked the boy, turning his head toward her.  
  
"That one!" she said, pointing it out.  
  
"Ohh..." he said, following her fingers. "Now I see it." He checked his watch and winced. "Oh boy, I'm gonna be in for it from my mom when I get home. I gotta go."  
  
"Aw, do you have to?" Chance pouted.  
  
"Sorry," he said, "I'll see you tomorrow at school." The boy then went out through the front gate and to the bike that was on the front porch, rolling away. Chance stood at the front gate with a scowl.  
  
"Stupid parents." she muttered, heading for the door.  
  
"Who was that, hun?" asked Rin nonchalantly as she started dinner.  
  
"A guy from school." she replied. "He looks a lot like me, don't you think?"  
  
"He does." Rin sat down and sipped some hot chocolate, eyeing her love-sick daughter. "You like him, don't you?"  
  
"What? No way!" she replied, blushing.  
  
Rin smiled. "I was young once too." Chance didn't say anything else, but sat down on the couch. Her mother came to sit next to her as she flipped around the channels. She stopped on MTV where Demonica was playing another concert. "My friend is Inuyasha's girlfriend." said Rin, looking to her daughter.  
  
Chance looked to her mother, jaw dropped. "Who? Tell me!"  
  
"I can't. But guess what she managed to get me." Chance's eyes were so wide, and her eyebrows had disappeared under her bangs. "Four back stage passes and front row seats!"  
  
Chance squealed, jumped around, and danced like she'd never danced before. Then she noted something. "Wait a minute... There are four tickets; one for me, Christian, and you, but who's the fourth one going to?"  
  
"Whoever you want to go." her mother replied.  
  
"Ooooh, Chase is so going! He's gonna die when I tell him tomorrow."  
  
"Is that who that young man was?" Chance nodded. "He looked quite respectable." That was Rin's way of saying that her daughter had permission to date him. Chance grinned.  
  
"Chase! Guess what!" Chase looked up from his spot against the office building as Chance came dashing toward him. She spun and went against the wall next to him, grinning like an idiot. "My mom got us four tickets to the Demonica concert next week."  
  
Chase's jaw dropped and he looked at her with wide eyes. "Seriously?" Chance nodded vigorously. "Yes! This is gonna be my first Demonica concert in two years!"  
  
Chance looked down slightly. "This'll be my first one, period."  
  
"Ouch. I'm sorry, Chance."  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
The day passed and Chance and Chase were sitting out in the front lawn this time, staring up at the clouds. Rin was on the phone inside, talking to one of the Demonica band members. "I don't give a damn whether or not you care, but you are going to tell that girl who her father is if it's the last thing I make you do!"  
  
"Rin, dammit, I'm not going to tell her."  
  
"Neither am I! Her father should, and sorry, but I don't have a dick." She only heard growling and a bit of swearing from the other line.  
  
"Fine, I'll make him tell her."  
  
"Thank you." Rin tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Tell him he's got until the concert next week to prepare himself for her wild temper. We've got backstage passes."  
  
"See you for the fireworks then..."  
  
I know who the father is; I know who the father is... hehe. Anyways, if you guys have figured it out yet, well for you! I've dropped a few hints at it, and NO it's not Inuyasha. If it were, this story would be so wrong that I just couldn't put it up. If you haven't figured it out... I'm not telling! :P I'm a stinker. See yah for the next chapter! 


	2. Tabloids Hold Useful Information

"Go Hurricanes!" cried Kagome. She had dragged her superstar boyfriend all the way down to Chance's softball game. Inuyasha had his hair up in a way that he never usually would and had a bandana and cap on.  
  
"Kagome, I swear I'm going to rip you limb from limb if you don't let me go right now."  
  
"No way, Inuyasha, you're stuck."  
  
"Damn you, woman!" he hissed.  
  
"Shh, Chance is up." Chance twirled the bat slightly over her shoulder. Her fingers tensed along the bat then relaxed as the ball came toward her. She swung and –  
  
"Fly ball; left outfield, that ball is as close as the Hurricanes are going to get to an out of the park!" cried the announcer.  
  
"Come on, Kagome, she's bound to notice me. And if she doesn't, her boyfriend will." he said, eyeing the hanyou in the corner of the bleachers. "I don't want her knowing I'm her uncle just yet." The hanyou in the corner of the bleachers eyed him back suspiciously.  
  
"She won't find out. As far as she knows, you're just my boyfriend. She doesn't even know you're the lead singer and guitarist of Demonica."  
  
"Shh!" he hissed. "Don't say that so loud. Fangirls are tricky, y'know."  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes. "It's not like she's got any other family, anyways, what with your brother being the dick he is."  
  
"True." Inuyasha then shut up and relaxed into the bleachers, glancing at Chance and grinning, giving her a thumbs-up. She grinned back as she passed over home plate. "Keep it up, Hurricanes!" he shouted.  
  
Chance had made six runs that game, so it was definitely a good game. "Hey!" she called, waving at Kagome. She ran over and gave Kagome a hug. "I haven't seen you in a while."  
  
"I know; sorry kiddo. I've been busy with that Nisaiyamato House case." said Kagome, waving it off.  
  
"I saw you on TV for that." she replied. Chase came down from the bleachers and Chance gave him a startlingly bright grin. "Kagome, this is my good friend Chase. Chase, this is Kagome Higurashi, my cousin and star lawyer."  
  
"Pleasure to meet you." Chase took Kagome's hand and placed a kiss upon it. Inuyasha growled some, but Kagome rubbed her leg up against his, causing it to cease immediately.  
  
Chance rubbed some sweat off of her forehead. "I've gotta go home and do some homework. I'll see you at my next game, Kagome?" she asked hopefully.  
  
"No, you'll spot me at the Demonica concert next week."  
  
"You managed to get tickets? I thought they were sold out." said Chance  
  
"Sort of..." she grinned mischievously. "I have my ways, though."  
  
"Okay..." said Chance, eyeing her suspiciously. "I guess I'll see you then. Bye!" she waved and headed off for her house. Chase looked at Inuyasha warily before heading off after Chance.  
  
Chance was doing her homework in the back yard when she heard the front gate open and shut. She knew, by instinct, that it was Chase. "Hey, Chase." she said, eyes still on her calculus homework.  
  
"Hey." he said, sitting down next to her. "Calculus, ey?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm hoping to get into Trig next year."  
  
"Trig? As in Trigonometry? As in the incredibly hard thing that no one can understand?"  
  
"That's the one. I've already hit math six, pre algebra, algebra AB and CD all in one year, geometry, and calculus. Now I wanna hit Trig."  
  
"You're nuts."  
  
"I know." she piped with a grin, finishing her calculus homework and pulling out a book report that needed a few last minute touches.  
  
"We gonna cloud watch?" he asked, lying down on the grass.  
  
"Nah; there's hardly any clouds. Let's tell stories instead."  
  
"Okay; dreamscapes or true stories?"  
  
"Whichever. You start."  
  
"Hmm... I think I'll do a dreamscape first. One time, I had a dream that I was flying. Well, not really flying, but it felt like it. Like you know how when you're on a ride with a huge drop? It was just like that. The only thing I felt was the open air and two hands holding me up and spinning me. I was laughing like an idiot; I think I must have been around three, maybe four or five. Only thing I remember were the amber eyes that I was staring down into. I think it was my father, but I can't be sure."  
  
Chase hummed thoughtfully. "It probably was a memory. Usually, dreams have some source of memory in them."  
  
"It could've been Kagome's boyfriend; I've known him since I was three. But it didn't seem like him because I think the guy had a purple moon or something tattooed on his forehead."  
  
"Weird."  
  
"Yeah... so tell me one of yours."  
  
"Last night, I had a dream that I was fighting a giant white dog. It was probably a demon dog, but I don't know. I was fighting it, mostly defending, and you were off to the side crying. I don't get the dream." (I do cackles Chase has ESPN or something.)  
  
"Hm. Well I know one thing, I hardly ever cry. The last time I cried was when my best friend moved about an hour away. We were both crying our eyes out though."  
  
"It figures." She looked at him dryly. "What? It does. Your best friend moves far away, you're gonna end up crying. You're probably going to end up feeling like your body's being torn in two pieces, organ by organ."  
  
Chance's nose scrunched. "Ew... bad mental image."  
  
"Mhm, but it's true, isn't it?"  
  
Looking thoughtful, Chance nodded. "Yeah, actually, it is."  
  
"It's almost six again. I'd better go. My dad's supposed to call tonight, and I don't wanna miss his call." said Chase, standing up.  
  
"I guess. I'll see you tomorrow?"  
  
"Maybe, I'm not sure if I'll be here or not. My mom said she was gonna take me to the doctor or something."  
  
"Alright then, I'll see yah when I see yah."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Chance waved then went in the back door. Chase headed out through the front gate and rode his bike back home. Chance leant against the back door and sighed forlornly. "Oi, Chance! Guess who's babysitting?" Chance quirked a brow at the familiar voice and rounded the corner into the kitchen to find Kagome.  
  
"Kagome! I didn't hear you come in."  
  
"I know you didn't," she said, popping a grape in her mouth, "that's the whole point. You may remove thy cap and bandana. I don't care about the ear thing, you know that."  
  
Chance eyed her. "How did you know I was a half demon?"  
  
"I'm a lawyer; it's my job to find out stuff."  
  
"Isn't that a P.I.'s job?" said Chance, sitting down at the kitchen table.  
  
"Whatever. The thing is, I know. To tell you the truth, my boyfriend is too." Kagome sat across from her.  
  
"Weird. Last I heard, there were only a dozen half demons in the country."  
  
"Very true. I know each one of them, too."  
  
"Seriously?" asked Chance.  
  
Kagome nodded. "Mhm; I've had to work with them, mostly for restraining orders, others for harassment. My boyfriend I met through your mother, you I met through my mother, as well as Christian, and I just met the last one on Saturday through you."  
  
Chance grinned. "Yeah... I'm not sure, but would two half demons make a three quarter demon or a full demon or a quarter or another half? It's been bugging me, and I'm pretty sure you're the only one that knows and would tell me."  
  
"If to halfsies managed to find each other and like each other enough to... y'know, then I think it'd make whatever blood came through. Your health teacher would've walked you through the process of prominent traits, right?" Chance nodded. "So whatever blood is prominent comes through. So, if all the demon blood was prominent, you'd get a full demon. If half of the mother's demon blood was prominent and the entire father's, or other way around, it'd be a three quarters. Half of each, and it'd be a halfsie. Half of one of them, and none of the other and it'd be a quarter. If all their human blood was prominent, doubtful, then it'd be a full human. Blood works in mysterious ways."  
  
Chance nodded slowly. "So my dad could've been a hanyou, if my mom was too, then half of both of their demon blood would have to be prominent for me to be a halfsie. Or all of mom's and none of his or all of his and none of mom's. Agh, I'm getting a headache..."  
  
"You're making me dizzy. Get off the subject, kid. Your dad was a full demon, mom was a human, and it just worked out that way. Demons can't change their blood."  
  
"Either way, I turned out to be a halfsie." Chance took off her cap and put it on the table. She then untied the bandana and freed her hair and ears, which were glad to be free. Kagome snickered at her ears and Chance scowled.  
  
"They look like Inuyasha's." she giggled out.  
  
Chance threw a look toward her cousin. "Inuyasha isn't a halfsie. He's a three quarters."  
  
"Wrong-o. You've been wondering how I got the tickets, right?" Chance nodded. "Inuyasha's my boyfriend." she grinned.  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Yes way, don't make me call him."  
  
"Be my guest."  
  
"Okay..." she went for the phone in the living room and dialed his number. "Hey babe, my cousin doubts you."  
  
"What?! Put me on speaker." said Inuyasha. Kagome hit the button for speaker phone.  
  
"Inuyasha? The Inuyasha? The Inuyasha Saginuma, dubbed teenage heartthrob for the past eight years?"  
  
"That's me."  
  
"No fricking way. In the Tokyo concert in ninety six, what were you wearing?"  
  
"Absolutely nothing, I was completely drunk."  
  
Chance blinked. "Name all your albums, the number of songs on them, and the dates they came out."  
  
"Bite Me, twelve, May sixth ninety six; Meant to Live, ten, November twenty- fifth, ninety seven; Leaving, ten, June ninth, ninety-eight; Nevermind, thirteen, August seventh, ninety-nine; Lost, nine, January fifth, two- thousand-one; Cast Away, thirteen, October fourth, two-thousand-three; Fallen Fast, eleven, February of next year." he replied without even thinking.  
  
"What's Miroku's middle name?" she asked skeptically.  
  
Inuyasha snorted on the other line. "Louis."  
  
"Oh my God, it's him! He was at my baseball games this entire time and you never told me?!" she yelled at Kagome.  
  
Kagome just laughed. "Thanks, babe. You've renewed her faith in me."  
  
"No problem. See you tomorrow night at five; I'm pickin' you up for dinner."  
  
"Right-o." Kagome hung up the phone and looked to her shocked cousin.  
  
"Your boyfriend... is the biggest... superstar... since Jim Carrey... AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!"  
  
"You'd go all fangirly like you are now."  
  
"Hell yes, I would because I am a downright Demonica fan, I have all of their albums, including their concert one in French!" she said. "I even have the action figures and all sixteen of their limited edition posters. I have about fifty collages from their band photos and pictures and articles that I've gotten from magazines. I even have the Demonica logo comforter! I have the Demonica screen saver! I was so close to getting the Demonica guitar, but it was way out of my reach. I have the Demonica limited edition candies, for God's sakes! I haven't eaten a single one! I have all of their concerts on DVD, as well as all of their music videos. I have the six movies that Miroku was in, and the seventeen that Inuyasha was. I even have the two that Sesshomaru dared to go on! I have a pair of Shippo's shoes from when he was two! I have their fangirl guidebook. I have their Demonica lyric book, all four volumes! I have the Demonica pillowcase! I have the Demonica PILLOW! I even have the Demonica wine bottle, though my mom drank all of it. I have their six-volume comic book set, too. Why didn't you tell me?!"  
  
Kagome looked at her with a blank face. "Inuyasha knows French?"  
  
"No! But he does know Spanish and every cuss word known to the English, Gaelic, and Celtic language. Now, why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Because, I wasn't allowed to. That's the thing about having a superstar for a boyfriend. There's gonna be consequences! I didn't want to be in the tabloids, so it's all been hugely hush-hush. Another consequence is that he's critically sexually frustrated, and therefore very horny, but otherwise it kind of sucks. Sure, he's got the money and can take me just about anywhere, but he can't be himself when he's in public with me." said Kagome.  
  
"I see... You still could've told me, it's not like I would've told anyone. And you should just let the tabloids know, they'll find out sooner or later, and then you guys can be a couple in public too." Chance argued.  
  
"You don't wanna mess with tabloids, Chance. They'll get a hound of lawyers on your ass if you do one thing to wrong their articles. Plus, they'll exploit your every move!"  
  
"Kagome, you might wanna take a look at the tabloids every now and then. Come, I'll show you." Chance led Kagome to her room, which was painted black and had the red Demonica logo on one wall, her Demonica poster collection on another wall, and her collages on another, even on her closet door. The next wall had her only fanart of them (framed) and the two windows. She led Kagome to a stack of tabloids and flipped through them and pulled out three of them. She sat down on her bed and Kagome sat next to her curiously.  
  
"First time you made an appearance in the tabloids," stated Chance, handing her the thin magazine. It had her on the cover with a smug look after winning her first big case.  
  
'Bigheaded new lawyer wins case by fault of the judge.' proclaimed the headline.  
  
"What? That judge was completely on my side!"  
  
"I know, I was in the courtroom with you. Here's the next one." Chance handed her another one.  
  
'Higurashi wins another case for a half demon, is there a favoritism going for her?' said the headline.  
  
"What?! I win just as many human and demon cases as the half demon ones! Probably more!" Kagome was fuming by now.  
  
"And the last one that you were in. You've been found out and spotted." Chance handed her the last one.  
  
'Inuyasha and star lawyer Higurashi seen at theme park together – could there be a connection between Higurashi and the latest Demonica album, Cast Away, which features songs with lyrics such as 'she knows how to pull my chain' and 'baby, you're so real' and 'I don't wanna miss one smile, I don't wanna miss one kiss.'  
  
"Inuyasha's been in the tabloids since he was born, what with his father being a multi-millionaire. You've been in tabloids since your career took off. If you're in the news, you're in the tabloids." said Chance.  
  
"Oh, my God, Inuyasha's gonna flip."  
  
"He already did." she flipped through the tabloids and pulled out a slightly recent one.  
  
'Star singer of Demonica sues Star Runner for millions for exploitation, reputation abuse, and false accusations.'  
  
"Reputation abuse? Didn't anyone get the memo that he didn't give a shit about his reputation? He sued them for stalking he and his mother. That's actually how I met him... Your mom recommended me as a lawyer."  
  
"I knew that, but I didn't know you guys started dating."  
  
"No one was supposed to. Got any more of these? I can sue these guys for millions if they did any false accusations, such as me raping someone or something." said Kagome mischievously.  
  
Chance grinned and got out another box of the tabloids she'd been saving up and began to rummage through them.  
  
If you don't know who the father is yet, I'm gonna start wringing some necks! BTW: Chance & Chase related. Nahhh, I wouldn't tell you that! Not so early in the story! I'm a stinker. Moron 


	3. Point of Obsession & Chance's Room

Christian rolled up to his mother's house. Usually, his little sister was waiting out front for him, but not today. He got out of the cab and took out his three bags and stood, just looking at the house for the first time in about a year. "Oi! Chance!" he shouted up at the house as he headed up the walkway. His sister met him halfway and tackled him to the ground in a crushing hug. As he wrestled with her vice-like grip, he spotted a guy standing at the door.  
  
"Oh!" said Chance, looking over at Chase. "Christian, that's Chase, one of my friends."  
  
Christian eyed him warily, growling lightly. Chance kneed him in the thigh, causing him to wince and whine. "Hey, not cool."  
  
"Quit growling at my friend then." she said snippily, picking up his smallest bag and heading for the door with it. Chase headed back into the house. Christian dropped off his things in his old bedroom and then headed back, peeking in his sister's room to see how much her Demonica collection had grown.  
  
"Hm... Mom finally let you paint your room, then?" he called as he headed for the kitchen.  
  
"Yep! I didn't even have to stencil the logo; I did it completely free- handed."  
  
"And that fanart in the corner?"  
  
"I'm artistically challenged in that area, you know that!" she said as he rounded the corner. "My friend did it for me."  
  
"I see you got a new poster."  
  
"Two of them, actually; you just can't see the other one from the doorway."  
  
"Did you manage to get that Demonica paper boy cap like you wanted to?"  
  
"Sadly not, but I almost had it. I'm going to have Chelsey do the red leaf on Leaving inside the logo one of these days. She said she might be able to do it this summer, and she may even be able to do the dead girl from Meant to Live, and the Lost truck, if they'll all fit on that wall."  
  
Chase blinked. "Did I miss something?"  
  
"Oh! That's right; you haven't seen my room yet. C'mon, it's like a Demonica shrine."  
  
Chase walked into Chance's room and blinked. Blood red carpet, black walls; the same colors as Inuyasha's room himself. Her bed had the Demonica pillow, case, comforter, sheets, and three styles of blanket. The wall to your right had the Demonica logo in blood red and nothing else on the wall. The wall behind you, toward the door, had various collages and fanarts and articles that she had kept, and he even thought he saw a comic or two. Under the windows on the wall across from the door was a long, low bookshelf that had just about every book, tabloid, magazine, DVD, and CD that ever featured Demonica. The CD's had a shelf of their own where they were showcased beautifully. On the top shelf of the bookshelf were various pieces of Demonica memorabilia; cards, action figures, dolls, plushies, pictures, stickers, patches, wristbands, the limited edition candies, a pair of Shippo's shoes that had sold on EBay for about three hundred bucks, notebooks that she's probably never written in, the Barbie edition Demonica figures, trading cards, concert ticket stubs, mugs, a lampshade, a wine bottle, lava lamp, necklaces, bracelets, rings, toe rings, earrings, and – was that what he thought it was? Yes, it was the full-sized Inuyasha cardboard cutout. Chase was betting she'd have every t-shirt, pair of pants, hat, and pair of shoes that bore the Demonica logo or anything from Demonica in her closet.  
  
"I almost got one of Inuyasha's guitars, but someone out bought me on EBay." she said, coming up behind him.  
  
"This is far past the point of obsession." said Chase warily.  
  
Chance shrugged. "It gives me something to do."  
  
Chase walked over to her bookshelf, crouched down, and looked through the books and DVD's.  
  
"You have their concert in Paris CD, that's in French." said Chase. "What are you planning to do with that, if anything?"  
  
"Wait twenty years for it to get really expensive and rare and then sell it on EBay. By then, it'll be worth about six hundred bucks." she replied, sitting down on her bed.  
  
"Good plan." he said, sitting at her black desk (which had yet more books on it). "Man... when's your mom getting home, I wanna go to the concert!"  
  
"And I'm obsessed." she said, rolling her eyes. "That reminds me... Stay here, but don't you dare touch the CD's. Have fun with the books though. I'll be right back." she headed out of the room.  
  
Chase picked up one of the books. "Demonica fangirl guide?" he asked no one in particular.  
  
"Christian! That reminds me; I was supposed to tell you. First off, Bailey's having a pool party tomorrow and he wants you to be there. Second, there's a Demonica concert tonight and we've got a ticket for you. Going to both, neither or which one?"  
  
Christian blinked, his mouth half full of burger. "Hmm... Both." he replied. "When's the concert?"  
  
"Two hours."  
  
"I'll be ready."  
  
"Yay!" she gave her brother a quick hug before running back to her room. "Okay, Christian's going to the concert and the pool party tomorrow at Bailey's... What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm seeing how many Demonica t-shirts a girl can possibly own." said Chase's muffled voice from inside her closet.  
  
"I've got sixty-seven Demonica shirts, if that's what you wanted to know; fourteen pairs of pants, seven pairs of shoes, forty-two hats, four sweaters, and three pairs of socks." she stated, "One pair of gloves too." she added as an afterthought.  
  
"I have sixty-eight Demonica shirts." said Chase smugly.  
  
"You butthead, did you get the Paris concert's one? That's the only one I don't have." He nodded. "Oh you little snod."  
  
He stuck out his tongue at her. "I have their toque too."  
  
"What's a toque?" she asked.  
  
He just shook his head. "It's a Canadian term."  
  
"I see. Anyways! I got one of only three Demonica wine bottles in the world." she pointed over at the Demonica wine bottle on her shelf.  
  
"And Shippo's shoes, and the Inuyasha cardboard cutout. Which CD store did you buy that one off of?"  
  
"Tower records." she replied with a smirk.  
  
"Chance, Christian! I'm home!" called Rin as she walked in the door.  
  
Chance and Chase looked to each other.  
  
"DEMONICA CONCERT!" they both screamed, running into the front room. "Come on, come on, we gotta go soon if we wanna make it on time!"  
  
"Quiet!" shouted Rin. "Chance, the stadium is little less than half an hour away. Chase, you'll be riding with us, I already cleared it with your mother. Both of you will probably take at least an hour to get ready, so go get ready before I get a headache."  
  
They both saluted and Chase headed out the front door, Chance running into her room. She put on her favorite Demonica t-shirt; it was black with Inuyasha imprinted in red on the front, screaming into the microphone. On the back was the Demonica logo with the concert information from long ago. Her cousin, Kagome, had long since begun to give her the Demonica t-shirts, because Kagome was also a fan of Demonica. She put on her Demonica logo chucks, her Demonica logo pants, her Demonica logo flame bandana, and over that, her favorite Demonica hat; it had the Demonica Bite Me devil smiley with Bite Me under it in Inuyasha's handwriting. She took out a red marker and did the Demonica logo on her cheek without even looking. She put on two of her favorite Demonica wristbands; one just with the Demonica logo, the other with the Bite Me devil smiley. She tied her Demonica sweater around her waist and looked at herself in the mirror. She put on her Demonica mood ring and her Demonica logo necklace and wristwatch. For a finishing touch, she put on blood red lipstick (though not too heavy), red eye shadow, and black eyeliner.  
  
"Perfect." she stated. The doorbell rang and she ran for the door. Kagome and two of Kagome's friends were at the door and grinning in full Demonica getup.  
  
"Woah, you have the Demonica flame chucks? No fair!" cried one of Kagome's friends.  
  
"I also have," she turned around, "the Demonica Bite Me devil smiley hat." Her hat, being on backward, could only show if she turned around. She turned back around and grinned at her cousin.  
  
"Wearing the Demonica socks I gave you?"  
  
"Of course!" she cried, pulling up her pant leg slightly to show the socks with Demonica logo and Bite Me devil smiley (I'm getting tired of writing that out, so from now on it's the BMDS).  
  
"Good job. I have taught you well." Kagome clapped her cousin on her shoulder.  
  
Chance grinned. Chase came in through the open door, also in full Demonica getup. He was wearing a Demonica black and red Leaving bandana, a black and red Demonica Leaving red leaf hat (backward), Demonica vans, Demonica socks, a Demonica leather jacket over a Demonica Leaving tour t-shirt, Demonica logo jeans, two Demonica wristbands, and a Demonica logo belt buckled belt.  
  
"Chance, if you'll do the honors, we need Demonica logos." said Kagome with a bow.  
  
"No problem, O Master." she said sarcastically, whipping out her red marker and putting a quick, good-looking Demonica logo on Kagome's cheek, as well as Kagome's two friends. Christian stepped up to the plate in a bit of Demonica get up. He was wearing the t-shirt, wristbands, and bandana, but nothing else. She put on the Demonica logo on his cheek. Chase then opened up his cheek for Demonica logoing (that's not a word) and Chance jumped at the opportunity.  
  
Chance, after logoing Chase's cheek, pulled out a black marker and put a Demonica BMDS on her other cheek. "Yay! I'm Demonica-fied!"  
  
"Chance, you're a nutcase." said Kagome, shaking her head.  
  
"Your point is?" she said, looking at her with a grin.  
  
"Shall we be off then?" said Rin, coming out of her bedroom in full Demonica getup.  
  
"Woah! Mom's Demonica-fied!" cried Chance.  
  
"Logo me." demanded Rin in a stern but silly voice.  
  
"Aye-aye, mon Capitan!" said Chance with a laugh, going over and putting the BMDS and the Demonica logo on her mom's cheeks. "This is positively faboo, but let's go!"  
  
They all piled into Rin's Explorer, Chance and Chase sitting in the far back of the car (with no seat belts). Chance was bouncing like a jackhammer, and Chase was still keeping a complete cool like he usually does. They got into the Demonica concert and sat in their front-row seats. However, Kagome waved to them and headed for the stage doors.  
  
"Where's she going?" asked Christian. Chance shrugged.  
  
The concert began, and Rin had to leave soon after they started. "I'll pick you up at midnight." said Rin, heading out. "Stay with your cousin!" she snapped at both her children. They both nodded vigorously. The crowd thinned around ten thirty, but Chance, Chase, Christian, and Kagome's friends were still going, along with a few other hardcore fans.  
  
Inuyasha had grinned down at Chance a few moments ago and given her a thumbs-up, so she knew it had really been him. "Okay, guys, we're gonna start winding it down a bit, but the concert won't end for a good hour or so. Either way, we have a guest star tonight for you guys. Kagome Higurashi, the star lawyer, but for once she's not arguing." he said with a smirk, beginning a tune on the acoustic he currently had in his arms. Sesshomaru had an electric for this instead of a bass, and Shippo was at the keyboard, Miroku on drums.  
  
"Can't you see?" sang Kagome, coming out on stage with a hand-held mic. The group in front cheered the loudest out of the crowd, and Kagome grinned down at them.  
  
"It's a feeling that's come over me. Close my eyes; you're the only one that leaves me completely breathless. No need to wonder why; sometimes a gift like this you can't deny. Oh, cos I wanted to fly, so you gave me your wings. And he, who held his breath so I could sing. Yeah, you set me free. Ooh, there's a will, there's a way. Sometimes words just can't explain. This is real, I'm afraid. I guess this time it's not just some high-and- flying, you leave me restless. You're in my heart; the only light that shines there, in the dark. Oh, cos I wanted to fly, so you gave me your wings. And he who held his breath so I could sing. Yeah, you set me free. When I was alone, you came around when I was down. You pulled me through, and there's nothing that I wouldn't do for you." Inuyasha had a short guitar solo here. "Cos I wanted to fly, so you gave me your wings. And who held his breath so I could sing. Cos I wanted to fly, so you gave me your wings. And who held his breath so I could sing, yeah. You set me free."  
  
The crowd cheered and clapped and Chance looked from Shippo, whose shoes she had, to Miroku, whose anklet she had, to Inuyasha, who she knew, to Sesshomaru. She froze to find Sesshomaru's stare exactly on her. Her face fell as she looked into his eyes. There was something she recognized in those eyes, but she could put her finger on what. He looked away and she blinked, shaking her head and looking back toward Inuyasha as the band started another song.  
  
"Only thing I don't have of you guys is your autographs." said Chance, sitting between Miroku and Inuyasha and feeling totally comfortable.  
  
"Seriously?" asked Miroku, looking down at her.  
  
Chance nodded. "Well then," said Inuyasha, "You got a pen?" he held out his hand. Chance grinned and put her black marker into his hand. He pulled up one of the sixteen guitars from the day's concert and signed it on the bottom. "Shippo, heads up." he called to Shippo, tossing the guitar and pen to him. Chance just watched eyes wide, in surprise. Shippo tossed the guitar to Miroku, who signed it and passed it to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru glanced over at Chance, who was looking hopeful and then back down at the guitar. He flipped it over and wrote a few sentences on it in a handwriting that looked suspiciously like her own before tossing the guitar over her head and back to Inuyasha.  
  
Inuyasha then pulled a pick out of his bandana and looked to her. "What do you want me to play?"  
  
"Time of our Lives! It's my absolute favorite."  
  
"No problem." he started the tune, or tried, twice, cursing the second time, and then began it. Shippo pulled up a violin from nowhere, ready for the part and Miroku had two pencils, ready for tapping against the chair he was sitting on.  
  
"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go. So make the best of this task known as why. It's not a question but a lesson learned in time. It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you have the time of your life." Shippo played the little violin ditty, keeping pace with Inuyasha's guitar. "So take the photographs and still frames in your mind. Hang it on the shelf in good health and good times. Tattoos and memories and effusion on trial. For what it's worth, it was worth all the while. It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you have the time of your life." Shippo had the violin still going. Miroku started up a little, peaceful drumbeat. "It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life. It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life."  
  
"Ooooh, thank you so much, Inuyasha. I love that song." Chance gushed.  
  
"Any other requests?"  
  
Chance looked thoughtful, and then held out her hands for the guitar. Inuyasha handed it to her, along with the pick, and she began the tune for Be Like That. Miroku had his substitute drumsticks ready and Shippo fiddled with the keyboard some. "He spends his nights in California, watching the stars on the big screens. And then he lies awake and he wonders 'why can't that be me?'" Sesshomaru had his bass plugged in by now and began his part on the guitar. "Cause in his life he's filled with all his good intentions, he's left a lot of things he'd rather not mention right now. Just before he says good night, he looks up at me with a little smile at me and he says," said Chase.  
  
"If I could be like that, well I would give anything, just to live one day, in those shoes. If I could be like that, what would I do? What would I do?" sang Sesshomaru, cutting him off. Everyone gave him an odd look, but shrugged it off. Chance continued the song.  
  
"Now in dreams, we run." she sang. "She spends her days up in the north hall, watching the people as they pass. And all she wants is just a little piece of this dream. Is that too much to ask? With a safe home, and a warm bed, on a quiet little street. All she wants is just that something to hold onto. That's all she needs. Yeah, if I could be like that, I would give anything just to live one day in those shoes. If I could be like that, what would I do? What would I do? Yeah, yeah-yeah, ohh-oh, yeah, falling into this... In dreams, we run away."  
  
"If I could be like that, well I would give anything, just to live one day, in those shoes. If I could be like that, what would I do? What would I do?" sang Sesshomaru.  
  
"If I could be like that, well I would give anything, just to live one day, in those shoes. If I could be like that, what would I do? What would I do?" sang Shippo.  
  
"If I could be like that, well I would give anything, just to live one day, in those shoes. If I could be like that, what would I do? What would I do?" sang Inuyasha, playing along.  
  
"If I could be like that, well I would give anything, just to live one day, in those shoes. If I could be like that, what would I do, Lord, what would I do?" sang Christian with a grin.  
  
"Fallen in; I feel I'm fallin' into this, again." sang Chance, ending the song.  
  
"High five girl, you can play!" said Inuyasha, holding out his hand. Chance hit his hand with hers and punched his fist.  
  
"I practice a lot on my friend's guitar."  
  
"You don't need your friend's anymore, now you've got your own. If you want, I'll get you an electric and an amp too." Inuyasha whispered the last bit.  
  
Rin, now standing at the door, shot a look at Sesshomaru. Inuyasha waved to Rin, and she smiled, walking over. "C'mon, it's about eleven forty-five and I'm about to fall asleep." said Rin, jabbing a finger toward the door.  
  
"You go ahead on home, Rin." said Kagome, "I'll bring the munchkins home later."  
  
"You're a lifesaver." said Rin. She headed out the door, but not before giving Sesshomaru another Look.  
  
"Last song I'm gonna play is another one of my favorites. "He was killed by a cellular phone explosion, they scattered his ashes across the ocean. The water was used to make baby lotion; the wheels of commotion were set into motion. But the sun still shines in the summer time, I'll be yours if you'll be mine, I tried to change but I changed my mind, think I'll have another g lass of Mexican wine."  
  
"Yep." said Chase with a smirk.  
  
"She lived alone in a small apartment across the street from the health department. She left her pills in the glove compartment that was the afternoon that her heart went. And the sun still shines in the summer time, I'll be yours if you'll be mine, I tried to change but I changed my mind, think I'll have another g lass of Mexican wine. Think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine."  
  
Shippo did the electric on another one of the guitars after plugging it into Sesshomaru's amp. "I used to fly for United Airlines. Then I got fired for reading pastimes, my license expired in almost no time. Now I'm retired and I think that's fine. Because the sun still shines in the summer time, I'll be yours if you'll be mine. I tried to change but I changed my mind; think I'll have another g lass of Mexican wine. Because the sun still shines in the summer time, I'll be yours if you'll be mine. I tried to change but I changed my mind; think I'll have another g lass of Mexican wine. Think I'll have another glass of Mexican wine, won't you have another glass of Mexican wine?"  
  
"Hey Inuyasha, I think we should start having jam sessions with this one. She could be your replacement when you finally OD." said Shippo with a smirk. Inuyasha threw the pen at his head, but he ducked.  
  
"Yeah right, no runt's gonna replace me. Plus, you guys would get along fine without me." he replied, crossing his arms.  
  
"Not really, you're the poster child." said Sesshomaru.  
  
"Bah, you get as much as attention as I do. Quit whining." Inuyasha retorted.  
  
While the men bickered, Chance inspected her new guitar.  
  
Keep practicing that softball and you'll be outta the park in no time. – Inuyasha  
  
I want my shoes back, thief. – Shippo  
  
Call me in a couple years. :P – Miroku  
  
She seemed to have forgotten about the other side where Sesshomaru autographed the guitar for her. Sesshomaru scowled. Did he have to spell it out for her? Growling obscenities, Sesshomaru left the room, passing Chance, Chase, Christian, and Inuyasha on his way, giving Christian and Chance a good snout-full.  
  
Chance at first paid it no mind, but then it kind of lingered there. She blinked. Sesshomaru smelt like... She blinked again, taking another whiff. "Trees and forests, rivers and wild berries." she whispered.  
  
HA-HA! She knowwwssss, precious... Moron, moron... moron 


	4. Wake Up and Smell the Nonexistent Roses

An: Kind of long chapter here... but this is where it takes a little twist for those of you who thought finding out the father was a little to easy. cackles  
  
Chance sat on her bed that night, her head completely hazy. Christian came to her door and whispered, "Are you asleep?"  
  
"No." she replied, staring into the small light that she'd kept on for years, not knowing why. Her guitar was in her lap, and she had now read the back. She had it memorized. It was ingrained into her eyelids, the back of her head, and generally burnt into her memory, just like the scent.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" asked Christian, sitting on her bed.  
  
"What the hell does this mean?" she asked, looking to her brother. "He smelt just like I remembered; trees and forests, rivers and wild berries. Not to mention the note on the back of my guitar."  
  
"What does it say?"  
  
"I apologize for not being there during your childhood. I was a coward, and still am. – Sesshomaru." she recited from memory. "Does that seriously mean that we have a rock star for a dad?" Christian shrugged. "I need to call Kagome..."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Inuyasha's number." she replied, putting the guitar into the case Shippo had given her and heading for the living room. She was tip-toeing toward the phone and she picked it up, sitting on the couch and knowing this would be the farthest place from her mother's listening ears. She dialed the instinctive number and a groggy Kagome picked up.  
  
"Hello?" she asked tiredly. Chance was betting her eyes were still closed.  
  
"Hey Kagome, I need Inuyasha's number."  
  
"Right now? It's fucking three am... go to bed."  
  
"I can't sleep." she replied snappishly.  
  
"Ugh, fine. His cell is 323 810 3130. He's bound to be sleeping or to be drunk, I'm just warning you now." she said.  
  
"Thank you." piped Chance, scribbling down the number.  
  
"Yeah, whatever, just don't call me this late ever again." said Kagome, hanging up the phone and rolling over.  
  
Chance dialed the number Kagome had given her. The phone was answered by a laughing Inuyasha. "Heh, heh.... Hello?"  
  
"Still sober, I see."  
  
"Eh, barely." he replied.  
  
Chance snickered. "You know what I'm calling you for."  
  
"Mhm... I'm not allowed to tell you though."  
  
"Why not?" she whined.  
  
"Because, my brother is sitting right across from me, and can and will probably rip out my spinal cord, through my nose, if I told you." he said.  
  
"Ouch... Can you put him on the line then?"  
  
Inuyasha eyed Sesshomaru. Red-eyed and miffy, he didn't look in the mood to talk to a kid with a zillion questions. "He's sleeping." he lied.  
  
"No he's not, you just said he's right across from you." she said.  
  
'Damn! Why does she have to be the smart one!' cried Inuyasha's thoughts. "He is, but he's sleeping and he hears what goes on in his sleep. He's a light sleeper, trust me. He's got triggers too."  
  
Sesshomaru was growling at him and Inuyasha glared at him in an I'm-saving- your-butt-so-shut-up sort of way. The growling ceased and Chance was skeptical. "Inuyasha, I have to know. I haven't been able to sleep at all tonight."  
  
Inuyasha was positive that she would've been pouting at him in the most pathetic manner had they been in person right now. He sighed, "Fine, I'll put him on; s'yer funeral." He held out the phone toward Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru growled at his brother, but took the phone.  
  
"Hello?" he said. Really, he was nervous to the point that his brain was shriveling to a pulp of nothing, so he couldn't think of anything more intelligent to say.  
  
"Spill it." she directed. What the hell had Rin been teaching their daughter anyways?  
  
Sighing, he slunk into his seat. Inuyasha eyed him warily. "I'm your father; I'm Christian's father as well. But, being the smart little girl that you are, I'm sure you already figured that out."  
  
"Damn straight I did. Well, I didn't until just about two hours ago, but yes, I did. Where the hell were you for sixteen years, without a phone call or anything?" snapped Chance.  
  
"Rin teaching you all those cuss words or was that my brother?"  
  
"Both, actually." she replied.  
  
"I figured... I was being a coward for sixteen years."  
  
"That's what I thought, but seriously? Who, in the name of God, hides right under their daughter and son's noses for sixteen years? More so in Christian's case."  
  
"A coward and an idiot." he was lowering himself sooo low right now and he knew it. It was the guilt of knowing that his daughter had found out with a little pushing on his part.  
  
Chance tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear. "When I actually needed a father, I didn't have one; father-daughter school picnics, I went with Christian. When my friends went for a weekend with their dads, I ended up staying home. Ah, and another thing, if you're a rock superstar, whose undoubtedly rich, why let your only kids live in a dump?" she growled. Sesshomaru rubbed the back of his neck. She was pissed; big time. "Mom has three jobs, three! Christian has to give us almost half of his Air Force profits just to keep the bills paid on time. You knew that, didn't you? My cousin is your brother's girlfriend; she's bound to say something! And Inuyasha is such a blabbermouth that you definitely had to know something about me. Why didn't you do anything? Why weren't you ever there?"  
  
"Because I was a stupid, putrid coward that didn't deserve your presence." he said quietly, hanging his head. Inuyasha was surprised. His brother had never admitted anything. He must be feeling really guilty. "I didn't want to hurt you more by showing up and fighting with your mother, so instead I distanced us."  
  
"That ended up well, didn't it? The mere fact that I learned most of the things about being a demon from Inuyasha should be enough to make me disown you, but I don't think I will. But then again, you're a big mighty demon, what would you care about a lowly halfsie like me? After all, I am your brother's kind and I've heard of some of the things you've done to him. He's told me all sorts of stories about you and him, and all along I never had a clue about who you actually were. I thought you were just his brother, but my father too? He probably didn't have a clue until a little while ago, didn't he?" Breathing heavily, Chance removed the bandana from her head, running a clawed hand through her hair. Her claws grew faster when she got pissed off. She blew upward and into her bangs. "Kagome's undoubtedly told you that I'm a huge Demonica fan. I never even knew that the bassist of that very band was actually my father!" she snapped. "Do you have any clue how this is going to change my view of the world?"  
  
"Not a clue."  
  
"Of course not! Because, guess what? You don't know me. You've never known me; you have no clue how I've changed since I was a baby. I'm guessing that's the last time you saw me, save for that concert." She sighed, "But either way... I have a father now. That's gonna change my life, big time. It's gonna take a while for me to get used to that fact...I'll call you later, I need to think." Chance hung up the phone.  
  
Inuyasha coughed. "I probably should've let her know one simple fact..." he said quietly. Sesshomaru looked at him. He coughed again, inching away from Sesshomaru. "Rin kind of... had an affair..." he mumbled. "Oh shit." he muttered. "Shippo, Miroku, you might wanna start running." he said to his friends as he walked by. Shippo and Miroku looked up and squeaked. Miroku left a hundred dollar bill on the table and dashed away, Shippo shortly behind him.  
  
The next morning, Rin got a call from Sesshomaru at work. She worked as a CEO's personal assistant, which is definitely not the best job in the world. "Hello?" she said, popping a French fry into her mouth from her boss' lunch.  
  
"You had an affair?" growled Sesshomaru's voice.  
  
'Uh-oh... Inuyasha blabbed.' Rin put on a set face. He couldn't smell her fear or guilt over the phone. "So what if I did? We're divorced now."  
  
"So what? That means that Chance and Christian might not be mine!" he snapped.  
  
"Pissy today, aren't we?"  
  
"Chance called my brother last night, and I just happened to be with him. Needless to say, Chance and I had a little chat. Anyways, she's pissed off at me and,"  
  
"She knows, doesn't she?" said Rin sadly.  
  
"We knew she'd find out eventually."  
  
"Well duh, I could've told you that." she snapped.  
  
"I knew that was where she got her lingo..." he muttered, "Still, we were married then. Couldn't you have waited another year for us to get divorced?"  
  
"I could've, but I didn't. I was impatient, what can I say?" She was really nervous, as said her outward sign of her tapping nails and twitching eyebrow. "Chance is mad at me, too. She knows that I knew, and now she thinks I lied to her all these years."  
  
"Technically you did; it was lying by omission."  
  
"Whatever, Mr. Lawyer-pants. Either way, she knows now, so what the hell do we do about it?"  
  
"Wait it out?"  
  
"She's got the patience of a saint and the will power of your brother, that's not going to work."  
  
Sesshomaru sighed. "Then what will?"  
  
"I don't think anything will. We have to let her come to us on her own time."  
  
"That works?"  
  
"Better than waiting it out. It'll happen faster."  
  
"Whatever..." Sesshomaru scowled. His daughter was rubbing off on him already. "Who did you have an affair with anyways?"  
  
"Honestly, I can't remember."  
  
"There was more than one, wasn't there?"  
  
"Mhm, sorry." she didn't seem very sorry at all, and probably wasn't.  
  
Chance usually wouldn't even be touching the guitar Inuyasha had given her, but she needed to express herself in a way that only she could. She decided to sing a Demonica song for her trouble, using the guitar to back her up. Though it wasn't the exact instrument they had used, it would work for her purpose. "As I sit here and slowly close my eyes, I take another deep breath and feel the wind pass through my body." she sang, her eyes closed. She didn't go to school today; that was too much of a shock. Christian was in watching TV. "I'm the one it loves so, reflecting in a light. Protect the ones who hold you, cradling your inner child. I need serenity in a place where I can hide. I need serenity, nothing changes days go by. Where do we go when we just don't know and how do we relight the flame when it's cold? Why do we dream when our thoughts mean nothing and when will we learn to control? Tragic visions slowly stole my life. Tore away everything, cheating me out of my time. I'm the one who loves you, no matter wrong or right. And every day I hold you, I hold you with my inner child. I need serenity in a place where I can hide. I need serenity, nothing changes days go by. Where do we go when we just don't know and how do we relight the flame when it's cold? Why do we dream when our thoughts mean nothing and when will we learn to control? Where do we go when we just don't know and how do we relight the flame when it's cold? Why do we dream when our thoughts mean nothing and when will we learn to control? I need serenity... I need serenity... I need serenity... I need serenity..."  
  
By now, Chance's face was streaming with tears. She had a father... Finally, after all these years. The relief, surprise, and happiness had turned into rage. Why hadn't he been there for her? Where exactly had he been? Was her mother not good enough for him? She sniffled, looking at the clock across her room. The guitar still lay across her bed. She eyed the signatures. Miroku wouldn't be much help, and Shippo was immature. There were usually two people she always counted on; Inuyasha and Kagome.  
  
Now, she had Inuyasha's cell phone. Usually, she'd have to call his apartment phone, but it had been down for the past month or so. She dialed him up and he picked up almost instantly. She could hear a distant drum beat in the background, probably Miroku. "Hello?"  
  
"I need to talk to someone. Kagome's at work, I'm pissed at mom, Christian doesn't have a clue, and I'm pissed at Sesshomaru; you're the only one left." she said.  
  
"Shouldn't you be in school?"  
  
"I didn't want to go."  
  
"Understandable. I'll come by and pick you up in about a half hour. It's better to talk this kind of stuff out in person." he said.  
  
"I'll be ready."  
  
Short, I know, but it's kind of a follow-up/show of emotions. There'll probably be a few more songs on this one. Moron 


	5. Last Christmas Revelations

Surprisingly enough to Chance, Inuyasha didn't roll up in a limousine. He instead pulled up in a sleek, blood red with black interior Corvair. "Christian, I'm going to lunch with Inuyasha, I'll be back soon."

"Okay." said her brother. Rolling her eyes, she left a note on the door. Her brother had a bad memory. She ran out and into the car with Inuyasha.

"Where to?" he asked.

"Burger place; I don't care which one." she replied.

"In n out, here we come..." he muttered. She popped in a CD from their Christmas concert in Ohio. "Oh, damn... I don't even have this one." he said as the first song came on.

"Uhh... Hello Cleveland!" his former self said. "I guess this is the Christmas one... so, here's some Christmas songs. We'll start with a song that Sesshomaru wrote, if you can guess, and it's called Last Christmas."

"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart," sang former Inuyasha, "The very next day, you gave it away. This Christmas, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special."

"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart," sang Shippo, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sesshomaru, "The very next day, you gave it away. This Christmas, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special. I'll give it to someone special."

"My dad wrote this?" asked Chance skeptically.

"Once bitten, and twice shy; I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye. Tell me, baby, do you recognize me? Well, it's been a year. It doesn't surprise me." sang Sesshomaru in a surprisingly emotional voice.

Inuyasha nodded. "The Christmas after he and your mom got a divorce."

"Happy Christmas; I wrapped it up and sent it with a letter saying 'I love you.' I meant it. Now I know what a fool I've been. But if you kiss me now, I know you'll fool me again. Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away. This Christmas, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special."

"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away. This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special." the entire band sang.

"Special someone..." sang Miroku.

"Humph." Chance huffed, "Did he even fight for custody?"

"A crowded room; friends with tired eyes. I'm hiding from you, and your soul of ice. My God, I thought you were someone to rely on. Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on. A face on a lover, with a fire in her heart. A woman undercover but you tore me apart. Ooooh, now I've found a real love; you'll never fool me again. Last Christmas, I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away. This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special. I'll give it to someone special."

"He did. But then again, your mom had Kagome on her side, so there's no way he could've gotten you two. He didn't even get visitation rights." said Inuyasha.

"Ouch." she said.

"Guilty feet have got no rhythm. Guilty feet have got no rhythm. No, no, ooh-ooh."

"Now I found a real love, you'll never fool me again."

"You're tellin' me. He was depressed and pissy for a year or two. Then I convinced him to join Demonica, so then he kind of opened up back to his old self." said Inuyasha. Chance blinked. She hadn't heard that side. Inuyasha glanced at her. "I bet you've never heard that part, hm?"

Chance shook her head. "No, I haven't."

"I figured as much." Inuyasha sighed, pulling into the drive thru. "My brother was really cold to us after that, though. He didn't even start dating new chicks. He still carries the torch for your mom." A tear rolled down Chance's cheek. Inuyasha rubbed it away with his thumb with a scowl. "Don't start that on me, Chance." he said. "I know this has got to be confusing and downright annoying to you, but you'll get through it. I know you will."

Nodding, Chance wiped away the rest of her tears. "I just don't understand why he never called or anything. It seems like he just... I dunno... didn't try." she said, frowning.

"He tried, alright. Your mom had his number blocked, and filed a restraining order on him."

The girl's eyes widened and she looked to her uncle. "You're kidding." Inuyasha shook his head. "Wow... I never knew my mom could be so mean."

Inuyasha nodded, running a claw through his hair and sighing. "Yeah. He watched you grow up from a distance, sadly enough."

Chance suddenly felt a guilt trip weigh heavily onto her shoulders. Thoughts of her father led to other male figures in her life, which suddenly took a sharp turn as Chase's laughing face appeared in her mind's eye. Turning away from the older male as he ordered the food, Chance sighed.

"Inuyasha... what about Chase?"

Pulling up and handing the cashier the money, Inuyasha looked to her. "Chase? Oh, him." He waved a hand dismissively. "I wouldn't worry about him."

Chance kept her mouth shut after that. They ate their burgers at the top of a hill, where they could watch the sunset. Inuyasha folded his arms behind his head and they quietly watched the sunset. Inuyasha dropped her off at her house and she saw that her brother's Mitsubishi Lancer was gone. Sighing, she pulled out her spare key and headed into the house.

"Mom, I'm..." her shout died in her throat at the porch as she heard her mother arguing with someone in her bedroom. She could tell it was over the phone because she couldn't hear anyone else arguing with her. She stood at the door, careful not to let the old dog out, but listened.

Her mother paused before hissing at the phone. "It doesn't matter now, that was over ten years ago!" Another pause. "No, I will not tell you who I had an affair with; it's none of your business." Rin gave a frustrated stomp. "You pompous ass; no, it was not your brother. I have more standards than that." Chance heard the phone slam onto the receiver and she heard her mother's door open and Rin come stomping out to look at Chance.

At first, Rin looked a little shell-shocked, but then she took a step forward and Chance shook her head, darting out of the house and back towards Inuyasha's car. She shot him one tear-filled look and opened the door, sitting into his car. Inuyasha looked to Rin, who nodded belatedly and hung her head. Inuyasha drove off with Chance silently crying in the passenger seat.

"Where we going?" he asked softly.

"Your house." Chance replied without missing a beat.

Inuyasha sighed. There goes his date with Kagome for tonight... Oh well, Kagome wasn't the one crying for an unknown reason.

About an hour later, Chance was through with tears and was now pacing back and forth in Inuyasha's living room, ranting her head off at the ceiling and anything with ears within a six-mile radius.

"Just PEACHY!" she yelled. "I finally find my father, though I haven't had a chance to have any time with him, and now I find out that my mom had an affair and he might not even be my father!" She ran a clawed hand through her hair, her bandana and hat forgotten on the table. "God must hate me or I brought this down on myself, though I haven't a clue WHAT the HELL I did to deserve this! Now, if he's not my father, I just might have to start looking for the bastard all over again! Let's list off some other stress factors!" She held up a finger. "Anything I've said for the past fifteen minutes!" She held up another finger. "I have a really cute, really cool, really awesome almost-boyfriend that could pass off for my TWIN, so I have to restrain myself!" Third finger went up... "I just found out that my cousin has a frigging rock star for a boyfriend, and not to mention he's one of my idols!" The fourth came up and she paused. "Oh yeah! I'm a halfsie, which causes my weird hair and I get picked on for it! Petty, I know, but it adds up." She held up a full hand and her brow furrowed. "Oh yeah, my mom couldn't give a fuck about me if she tried!"

Inuyasha shook his head. "I have to disagree at the last two." He looked up at her. "I'm a hanyou, and look how successful I am. You're how old?"

"Sixteen." she said, crossing her arms and fuming. If you looked close enough, you could probably see steam coming out of her ears.

"See, once you hit your twenties, it doesn't matter anymore. You're only four years off, so don't worry too much about it. Second, your mom cares about you a hell of a lot more than my dad did for me, so feel grateful."

"At least you had a dad." she said bitterly.

"I didn't have a mom." he shot back. Chance growled at him, then flopped onto the couch in defeat.

"Ah, hell... I swear, if there was only someone who could solve all my problems for me. Blood tests for free and that kind of stuff." They both looked to the forgotten TV, which had been playing for the past hour without either of them noticing. The new show came on, and both of their eyebrows shot up; The Dr. Kalory Show came on.

"If you have any problems in your life that are troubling you to no end, email me, send me a letter, or even call me for your chance to be on my show. I'll help you through your troubles so that they ease your mind instead of give it a headache." said Dr. Kalory.

Chance blinked and jumped up. "That's it!"

Inuyasha looked at her. "What?"

"I'll go on the Dr. Kalory show!" She did a little victory dance at finding something to help. "Do you have a computer I could use?"

Inuyasha sighed and got up to lead her to the study. He'd never hear the end of this...

....

Don't hurt me for the Dr. Kalory thing, but I couldn't use Dr. Phil, though that IS where I got the idea. The song "Last Christmas" was not, in fact, written by Sesshomaru snicker but instead belongs to Savage Garden. It's a good song, go DL it. Moron


	6. Writing Dr Kalory

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, however Chance, Chase, Christian, & Chance's friends are Mine. Clear? I thought so... Because the last thing I wanna do is hurt you guys, but it's still on the list.

Anyways I figured it was about time for an update. I've had the chapter written for a while but I'm stingy and mean. To fill you in on my little excuse for a life this month I started high school, had my first two soccer games, put in for resignation at the volunteer drama group, and have been doing a lot of thinking about some of my friends.

Details! Just cos I feel like complaining to someone. Skip if you want.

At Lakewood H.S. I have made quite a few friends... Considering I'm totally a-social, that's kind of odd, but I'm not complaining. The soda machines are a very big plus from M.S. However, this has been stumping my writing and keeping it to a minimum. Plus, I'm getting new ideas from the dramas I hear... And I've experienced a very new thing. Running. A lot. Twice around a two-block-around school... Blech. Soccer instead of P.E. might not have been a very good idea... Oi vey.

The first two soccer games and practices were very fun. My team is awesome, though the name is very well pissing me off. Blew By You. It's been used for at least 16 years in my region and I had hoped for something original, but you can't have everything... At least the team kicks ass. Our first game was one, 3-2. The second (yesterday) was won 2-0. A few of the girls on the team could use some work, specifically Alex. She depends on me to do the defending against the goal, when it was her freaking player.... Nvm.

As for resigning at drama, I feel like I've got just a little too much on my plate... I'm doing the next show, but after that I'll stay out of it. The director said I would be welcomed back once I got the hang of things if I wanted to. Shrug. Mebbe I will, mebbe I wont.

My best friend is turning into a shallow valley girl, which is just the thing that pisses me off the most. Another one of my close friends has broken a very serious promise to me. I haven't really spoken to a couple of my friends in a long time, and just having friends is hard these days. Y'know what I mean?

For anyone that actually read this, thanks for listening! Usually I'm the one listening to other people's problems.... I'm like the psychologist of my group already. Sigh... By the way, you may as well stamp "Kiss-ass" on my forehead... I've been doing free work for my English teacher already.... Go figure.

On with the show, I suppose.

_Dear Dr. Kalory,_

_My name is Chance Echerburry. I'm a sixteen year old girl going through a hard time and I was hoping you could help me out. You see, my father and mother got a divorce when I was barely six months old, my brother himself being about four. Neither of us retains much memory of him. Recently, I believed to have found my father in the bassist for the hit band, Demonica, Sesshomaru Tanafeld. I was a huge fan of Demonica before I found this out, and this only furthered my interest in the band._

_But, good things never last in my family. I found out that my mother had an affair back when my parents were married; so Sesshomaru may not be my father. My brother, Christian, and I would both like to know why our father walked out, and, more importantly, who he is. We are not able to do that on our own, however, and we need your help._

_However, there is another twist in the story. Not too long ago, I met a new kid from my school named Chase Thacherny. The thing is, we could pass off for twins, and we have far too much in common to be normal. I have a hunch that we may be related. I may never know, and neither will Chase or Christian, whether or not we're long-lost siblings or simply coincidence._

_Please help us out, Dr. Kalory, we'd really appreciate it. _

_Chance Echerburry_

"Good writing skills, Chance." commented Inuyasha as Chance sent the email.

Chance beamed at him. "I hope we get on the show... I'd hate to not know whether or not Tanafeld is my father or not."

Inuyasha shrugged, ruffling her hair a bit and walking off toward the kitchen. "Hungry?"

"We just ate burgers." she replied, coming downstairs to the kitchen to find him cooking some ramen. "Geesh, slow down, elephant stomach." Sitting down at the table, Chance saw that the rumors about Inuyasha being a fast eater were true. Remembering something from earlier, she picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

"_Hello?"_ the other end sounded.

"Hey, Chase." said Chance, her face softening fondly.

Chase paused his game on the other end. _"Hey Chance. How come you weren't at school today?"_

Chance paused, taking a breath. "I may have found out who my father is." she said experimentally.

Raising a brow, Chase pawed at her for information. _"Really? Who?"_

"Sesshomaru Tanafeld?" she tried.

"_You're kidding."_

"Nope. But then again, my mother had an affair, so I can't be sure." Chance spoke bitterly.

"_Ouch."_

"You're telling me. By the way, you may wanna start packing for L.A. We might be going on the Dr. Kalory show." Chance twirled a piece of her hair absentmindedly over her finger.

"_What do you mean by 'we'?"_ he asked suspiciously.

Chance grimaced and turned on her chair. "I may have mentioned your name..."

"_For what?"_

"Well, remember that whole thing where we smell alike and look alike and have a lot in common?" she said. Chase gave an apprehensive 'yeah.' "Well, I thought that, since we do, and my mom had an affair, we might be siblings."

Chase's heart dropped. _"Oh."_

"But we might not be." Chance hurriedly assured. "There's a chance."

Smirking, Chase nodded. _"True." _he replied, _"I guess I'll talk to you later?"_

Chance grinned. "Of course. I'll be at school tomorrow. Bye."

"_Bye." _

The line went dead and Chance hung up with a sigh, putting her head into her hands. "This sucks."

"I'm sure." Inuyasha said around a mouthful of ramen. The sight made Chance giggle a bit. "What? What'd I do?" Chance just shook her head and headed up to a guest bedroom. Inuyasha had given her directions earlier.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha swallowed to ramen. "She's getting herself into a hole..."

Chance was dropped off two blocks from the school the next day by Inuyasha. She had managed to weasel an old shirt and hoodie out of him, but as for pants; she was on her own and had to wear the pair she'd been wearing the other day. The other day, she'd been wearing a pair of shorts because it had been 80 degrees. Today was different; today, it was 65.

In short, she was freezing. But then again, that's what you get for California; hectic weather. She spotted Chase and ran over, smiling despite the cold. Chase eyed her exposed legs with a raised brow, covering up the fact that he thought she looked adorable in that outfit. "Why are you wearing shorts? It's almost fifteen below zero."

"Long story... In a nutshell, I didn't go home last night. I stayed over at Inuyasha's and let's just say he's not my pant size." she smirked.

Chase shook his head at her and pulled off his trench coat, draping it over her shoulders. Chance smiled her thanks and pulled it around her. Two of the more popular girls at the school were walking by when they paused to see Chase and Chance in a slightly... tender moment.

For everything you do

I'd like to swallow you

And every day I'm gonna blame you

"Oh my God, Becky, look. The freak is messing with Chase!" said the blonde one.

The other looked over and put a hand over her mouth as Chase glared at both of them. "Oh my God, Serena. It's so creepy! What do you think you're doing with him, freak?" said Becky, stepping closer to her menacingly.

Chase snarled at both of them. "Back off. Chance is a good friend of mine."

And even if you justify

Every fucking bullshit lie

It only makes me want to break you

Serena and Becky looked at each other before both of them started laughing hysterically. To see what all the fuss was about, a few of the other 'popular' kids came over. Chance subconsciously hovered a bit closer to Chase. She didn't like the people at their school; they were cruel.

"Aw, man, Curly, why are you hanging out with ugly there?" said Kevin, a burly guy as he came up. Chance got a worried look on her face as she looked to all their mocking faces.

You pull me down

And you crucify my name

You make me insane

Chase seemed to be the farthest thing from worried. Instead, he gently put Chance behind him a bit. "Leave her alone, Kev. She never did anything to you."

"No, come to think of it, she didn't. I'm starting to wonder what she did to you, though." The boy got a perverted grin on his face and both Chase and Chance's faces contorted.

It's broken now

Don't ever look my way

Don't even think I'm playing

"Either way, Curly, I never expected you to stoop so low as to take advantage of one of the losers."

Chase gave off a fierce growl at that. "I didn't take advantage of her, and I think I'm stepping up from you losers." The hall went silent. "You're all pompous, shallow assholes that shouldn't even be allowed to stay on the planet." He snapped, causing a few gasps.

And I fucking hate you

You're such a liar

I love to hate you

You're all the same to me

"C'mon, Chance." He took her hand and pulled her toward the auditorium. "Assholes..." he muttered. Obscenities could be heard emitting from him for a good five minutes until they got to the auditorium. They could still hear the roaring laughter of the crowd around the corner or so.

"Just ignore them." Chase said, noticing the look on Chance's face. She looked like a kicked puppy. If his memory served right, her ears were probably drooping. "They're all idiots anyway."

Chance scowled some. "You're right... but you'll probably get jumped for a few of the things you said."

"Don't worry about it." he reassured her. "I can take them."

Smiling lightly, Chance calmed some. "Can I use your cell really quick?" He nodded and handed it to her. She stood up and put it to her ear, careful to avoid the teachers. "Hey, Christian, what are you doing?"

"_Chance? Eh, nothing. You just woke me up. Where've you been?"_ he asked, probably rubbing his eyes.

"Inuyasha's house. Mom knew, so don't worry. I've got some bad news, though." She turned away from Chase and lowered her voice. "Mom had an affair back when Sesshomaru and mom were married." Chance heard a feral growl from the other end of the phone. "Yes, that means Sesshomaru might not be our father." Chance sighed and added, "And we're back at square one again."

"_Peachy."_ he muttered.

"Yeah... and, um, could you get down here? I have a feeling Chase is gonna get into a fight..." she told the phone quietly.

Christian sighed. _"Alright, I'll ask later. I'll be down there in a minute."_

"Thanks, Christian."

"_No problem, half-pint."_

An: I'm plotting more with this story, such as the idea that somehow, could be Chase's dad; or Chance's. And I'm gonna have you guys vote; Chance and Chase related or not? If they're not, then I get to put in a fluffy, sappy romance and if not, I get to put in brother-sister fluff. Take your pick. And I know Sango's not in it; I'm working on that.

MORON


	7. Making a Stand & An Old Enemy

Christian pulled up to the school in his Mitsubishi Lancer and spotted Chance and Chase sitting together with Bridgit, Chelsey, Bailey, Brooklyn, and, surprisingly enough, the star lawyer herself, Kagome. They all seemed to be giggling madly over something. So far; nothing suspicious.

Either way, he decided to join the fun and embarrass Chance while he had the opportunity. He got out of his car and walked over to them, his keys to his Lancer in his pocket. He saw a few of the girls at the school ogling him and rolled his eyes, walking over to his sister and plopping down on the other side of her than Chase, grinning at all of them. "I believe you rang?" he said to Chance.

In return, the girl only nodded and cast a shifty glance over her shoulder. No one, even the idiots at Chance's school, would be stupid enough to take on Chase along with Bailey, Christian, and the star lawyer Kagome there. However, a popular girl named Justine from the school sidled up to the table and bent, setting a hand on the table and sending a sultry pout toward Chase (who rolled his eyes and looked away) before looking to Chance with a fake smile.

_When you repeated me_

_Take advantage of me_

_The very thought I get of you sickens me_

"I just wanted to apologize for what my friends Becky and Serena said earlier today. It was _completely_ wrong." she was being overdramatic and completely out of character. Chance had known the girl since the third grade, and she knew this girl meant bad news. "And I just _had_ to know; where did you get your hat?" asked the girl, snatching it right off the unsuspecting Chance's head, who froze. She'd forgotten to put on a bandana that day.

_Everybody knows you're fake_

_You're everything I fucking hate_

_And I'm everything that you could never be_

Justine screamed and dropped the hat, backing away. Christian snatched it off of the table and handed it to Chance, but she couldn't move. Her eyes hardened and she sent a very cold, very angry glare toward Justine. Chase and Christian both shrunk a bit away from her. Slowly, Chance stood up, an angry, frustrated tear falling down her cheek. Chase moved to swipe it away, but she threw back her head and screamed.

_You pull me down_

_And you crucify my name_

_You make me insane_

"THAT'S **IT**!!!" she yelled. "I'M **SICK** OF ALL THE EGOTISTICAL, CLICHÉ BARBIES!" The girl stood from the table and stomped off toward the bathroom, Bridgit, Chelsey, Brooklyn, and Kagome following her, while all three guys had their angry stares set on Justine and the rest of her cronies.

_You're rolling now_

_Don't ever look my way_

_Don't even think I'm playing_

Chance continued her angry rant in the bathroom, telling the four girls how angry they'd gotten her over the years and how she was so sick of it. She heatedly and quickly explained the ears, but got right back into her rant, which had teachers running over. However, none of them dared get close to her. They'd probably get their asses kicked, anyways. She was in a seriously bad mood, and she was taking it out on everyone she could find.

_Because I fucking hate you_

_You're such a liar_

_I'd love to hang you_

_You're all the same to me_

Chase, Christian, and Bailey slowly stood from the table. Each of them was cracking their knuckles and had stone-cold looks on their faces, ready to kick some serious ass. All three had the urge to run to Chance and see what they could do, but they couldn't. She was in the girl's bathroom – forbidden zone. Either way, both of them stepped menacingly toward the girls. They all screamed and ran.

"_**DON'T EVER COME AROUND CHANCE AGAIN!!**_" Bailey and Chase yelled at the same time, shaking fists in the air. They looked at each other with an odd look before looking toward the bathroom which they had ran toward. Christian was already making his way over toward the bathroom, her cap in his hand.

_I fucking hate you_

_You're such a liar_

_I love to hate you_

_You're all the same to me_

The two boys ran after him, catching up to him. Bailey could distinctly hear Chance's raging screams, but they were almost excruciatingly loud for Chase and Christian, who were both wincing. Christian walked into the bathroom first, both Bailey and Chase pausing at the door to build up the courage. Chase went before Bailey and yanked him in after he hesitated.

_Fuck you_

_Fuck you_

_Fuck you_

_Fuck you_

Chance had broken down into sobs and had locked herself into a stall. Chelsey, Bridgit, and Brooklyn were sitting on a sink, each of them with a helpless look on their faces. Kagome was crouched next to the stall, trying to coax the crying girl out of the stall. Giving a sigh, the independent lawyer stood and shook her head with a sigh. She waved the boys over.

Chase took Kagome's position, Christian crouching on the opposite end of the door. Bailey looked on helplessly, a frown decorating his features. "Chance? C'mon, you can lick this." said Christian in a hopeful tone.

"No... No, I can't." she sobbed. "They know... I can't ignore them anymore." she replied. Chase was surprised. Her usual confident, carefree tone was gone, replaced with a despairing girl.

"Chance," Chase's voice was rough. "If I know you as well as I think I do, I know you have the power to prove them wrong. _You can do this_." He bent his head a little lower to allow his piercing blue eyes to lock with her puffy, red ones. "Come now," he said, nodding his head some. "Unlock the door."

Chance gave a sniffle, but reached an arm up and unlocked the door. She still made no move to remove herself from her perch atop the toilet. Christian backed away a bit, allowing Chase to go in instead of him. Chase stood in front of her in the small, cramped space. She looked at him, sniffles still escaping her lips. The boy bent and enveloped her in a hug. She limply put one of her arms around to his shoulder, but the other stayed in her lap. She put her head on his chest and cried.

* * *

"You're _sure_ you want to go through with this?" asked Chase. His mother had agreed to take Chance and he to school instead of her going to the bus again. 

Chance, whom sat beside him with a fierce look, nodded. Today, she didn't have a bandana or a hat on. Her hands were shaking, but she was still going to go through with it. Chase nodded and took off his own hat and bandana, setting his two black-and-white dog ears free and twitching them around. Chance smiled gratefully and he only took her hand.

They reached the school quickly, and both of them got out of the car, ready to face whatever the people at the school were going to throw at them. Their hands were still intertwined, and it had helped Chance's nerves to steady slightly, but she was still scared. This was also the first time she'd ever had her bandana and hat off at school, besides the incident three days ago. It was loud... in general. However, she could hear better and that gave her a slight sense of security.

Plus, Chase was going through it with her. Just that fact helped her smile up at Chelsey, Brooklyn, Bailey, and Bridgit when she approached them. They smiled back, but the smiles faltered when they spotted her and Chase hat-less. Her face fell.

* * *

Kagome was outraged. Since Chase had shown her the tabloids three weeks ago, she'd been keeping a close eye on them. In today's Star Runner, a school photograph of Chance was featured on the front cover with the headline _'Distorted Half-Demons in Local Schools – Could Your Child Be in Danger?_' She had immediately called Inuyasha and a slew of her lawyer friends. She also had them bring up their own friends, and they all met in front of the headquarters for Star Runner. 

"They are _so_ going down today!" she shouted over the crowd of about forty crisp-clothed lawyers before her. "**MARCH**!" They all headed toward the building, briefcases and over-confidence in tow. Kagome came to the front desk and demanded she see the president.

The security guard didn't fight her and instead gave her a pass to the man's office. The lawyers all crammed into the six elevators and they arrived at his office. The secretary was silenced by the looks of a few demon lawyers that Kagome knew as they entered the president's office. They filed into straight lines before him. Kagome tossed the tabloid onto the desk in front of him and glared at him. Inuyasha stood to the side, glaring at the man.

"What the _hell_ is this?" she hissed at him, pointing at the front cover of the tabloid. "Half-demons have been in this country for years and you're just now attacking them? I know a lot of people that won't be happy with this decision."

"Miss Higurashi, do you **dare** accuse me of printing false information in my magazine?" asked the president, giving her a condescending look. Just from experience, she knew he was a demon. A few of the demons in the crowd of lawyers were already growling, and so was Inuyasha.

"Yes, Mr. Tenaika, I _do_." she replied viciously. She picked the tabloid up and opened it to a certain page with another photo of Chance and Christian, and another of Chase. She pointed to a part toward the beginning of the article and read it out loud. "_Three days ago at Oak Senior High School, a half-demon girl attacked classmates Justine Fischer and three friends_." She threw the paper down in front of him and half of the people in the room swore she would've been snarling at the moment if she could. "I was personally there, Mr. Tenaika, and I can testify that Chance Echerburry did **no such thing**. I have half a dozen other credible witnesses as well to testify against your words. And, I may start a lawsuit with this nice slew of my lawyer friends if you do not personally apologize for slandering Miss Echerburry's name, along with her brother and friend."

The creepy man put his fingers together over his desk. "By all means, Miss Higurashi. Oh how do the young people put it these days?" He paused in thought, "Ah, yes. Bring it on."

"You'll be hearing from me shortly." she promised. Turning on her heel, she parted the crowd of lawyers easily and they followed her out. Inuyasha was left standing to the side of the president's desk. He glared at Mr. Tenaika.

"You'll be hearing from me as well, should you mess with Chance again." he threatened. He heard Kagome call his name from the elevator and headed for the door.

"Don't test me, Inuyasha. I know your secret." the businessman shot back.

"And I know yours, Naraku." Inuyasha left the room and jogged after Kagome. They left the building swiftly, the lawyers going back to their jobs and lives.

* * *

A/n: You knew Naraku was going to rear his ugly head eventually... President of a tabloid XD perfect job for him, ne? Anyways.... 

–Moron-


	8. The Realm of Kalory

A/n: Hey! Usually I don't have AN's, but today I do! Apparently, I'm not the only one using this title! I found a book in my English class called _Baby, Baby_ by Paul Kropp. I read it. It's very good, and **I'd recommend it** if you're looking for a short, easy read. It's about 100 pages, set in the 80's in the suburbs, and placed around a 16-year-old who gets pregnant and has to go through the grueling choice of adoption, abortion, or keeping it. I highly recommend it...

**Baby, Baby** (mine) will be continued... I came up with a whole load of new and horrible problems for Chase & Chance and the rest, and it is going to be good... Maybe I'll hit _twenty_, but don't get your hopes up. I also have **IDEAS** for a **POSSIBLE** sequel, but again, don't get your hopes up.

* * *

Kagome and Chance were sitting in her room. Chance's Demonica fetish seemed to be reducing, as some of the Demonica things were disappearing, albeit slowly. Kagome had just finished telling her about how it had gone at the Star Runner and she frowned. Kagome sipped at her slurpie, sitting on Chance's Demonica chair. Chance was currently packing to go to New York. She had made it onto the Dr. Kalory show, and she, Chase, Christian, her mother, Inuyasha, Kagome, Chase's parents, and her father were going to go in two hours to shoot the show.

"Man, dude sounds like an asshole." commented Chance when Kagome finished.

The lawyer nodded in solemn agreement. "He is. He's completely against hanyous, even when he's one himself."

Chance raised a brow, and then knitted both of them together. "Well that's kind of stupid. That would mean he hates himself, wouldn't it?"

"Sure does." said Kagome, "He has printed so much false information about hanyous, when they're actually close to becoming a full third of the population. The barrier between humans and demons is finally falling, but he's trying to tell us that it shouldn't be. I don't get it..."

"I don't think it's his fault. Maybe he was abused as a child." Two pairs of mocking blue eyes met and the two laughed merrily. Chance zipped up her bag and tossed it over toward the door. "I'm not sure going on the Dr. Kalory show is a good idea." Chance admitted, sitting on her bed and placing a hand on her black sheets.

Kagome looked to the younger girl. "Do tell."

"I mean, I know it was my choice to begin with," she said, "but I'm having second thoughts. I know I can't back out now, but I'm asking myself 'why the heck did I do that?' Y'know?"

"I totally understand." Kagome replied with a grave nod, "Actually, I was kind of surprised you went out for help instead of keeping it all in like you usually do. But then again, I was pretty sure you would do something out of the ordinary for your love interest." The woman grinned mischievously. Chance threw a pillow at her friend, fighting a blush and glaring at half-heartedly at her. "Don't kid yourself, Chance. We all know you like him."

Chance frowned, picking up another pillow and crossing her arms over it and placing her chin on it. "Except for him, I think." she said sadly, "He barely even seems to acknowledge that we may be more than just friends..." she trailed off with a hopeless tone. "Maybe it's better that way."

"Don't talk like that." Kagome snapped, "You'll either jinx it or put yourself down, or both. Think positive and start flirting with him."

"But he might be my brother!" Chance retorted, raising her head with a frown.

The lawyer gave off a mocking look toward the younger girl. "To be honest, I really don't think you guys are related. If you are, I'll make sure I find a monkey to be an uncle to." Chance giggled. The doorbell sounded from the front of the house and both girls rose. "That's probably Inuyasha." said Kagome, walking faster to get to the door. Chance knew the reason was that she hadn't seen the man in two days, due to a short road show.

Indeed it was Inuyasha. Kagome and the hanyou embraced tightly before sharing a searing kiss. Chance blushed to see such a thing and looked away. The two parted and Inuyasha picked up his duffel bag once more. Kagome eyed the bag suspiciously. "Inuyasha, you do realize you're a superstar, right?" Inuyasha nodded. "Then why do you have a bag from the Stone Age?"

Inuyasha grinned. "A bag can hold more than just stuff."

"Like odors?" offered Kagome playfully.

"Yes," Inuyasha nodded. He then realized what he said and shook his head, "No! Well, maybe, but that's not what I meant. I meant the bag holds memories."

"It's a bag!" Kagome cried, pointing at it skeptically.

Inuyasha shrugged, holding the bag over his shoulder. "It's a bag that has served me well since Demonica's first road show."

Chance, feeling a spark of her old obsession appear, eyed the bag in a wanting manner. Then, realizing her actions, she quickly squashed the feeling and stuffed it into a big trunk to keep the feelings away. She couldn't let her obsession get a hold of her once more. It had ruled her life for a good half a decade and she wouldn't let it happen again. It wasn't healthy.

* * *

On the plane, she managed to get a seat in between Chase and Sesshomaru. For being a twelve-hour flight, she predicted that she wouldn't have much fun between the two. Sesshomaru, having a very good hankering that Chance was his daughter, growled every time the two even barely touched. Her mother was sitting in front of her with a man Chance had identified as her mother's new boyfriend, much to her dismay. Inuyasha and Kagome had both glared holes through the back of his head, being that they were sitting behind them. Christian got the great honor of sitting with Chase's parents, while Kagome and Inuyasha had brought Miroku along for the trip. Shippo was going to be taking another plane in a few days to catch up with them.

Chance and Chase had settled for talking and playing cards during half of the flight. Chance, Chase, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Christian had been reduced to sleeping after their demon senses kicked in and they all became a little claustrophobic. Kagome, being the last one awake on the midnight flight, leant forward and looked over the seat to find Chance leaning her head on Chase's shoulder, and Chase's arm had found its way around Chance's shoulder. She smiled and brought out her camera, winding around the two's seats and taking a picture of them.

Four pairs of hanyou ears twitched and Sesshomaru cracked open an eye. He surveyed the situation and began to growl, but Kagome shot him a warning look. "Let them be, Sessh. They're too cute to bother, plus they're comfortable, and it's a long flight." He growled for another moment, then huffed and crossed his arms. He then began to stare aimlessly out the window. Kagome went back to her seat and leant onto Inuyasha, determined to get some sleeping done on the flight.

* * *

"After the return trip, remind me never to get on another plane." Chance muttered to Chase, working the kinks out of her neck. Chase nodded slightly, also trying to work the cramps out of his own neck.

"I liked the trip," said Miroku with a perverted grin.

Inuyasha smacked him upside the head. "You just liked the flight attendants." he grumbled sleepily.

Miroku's eyes widened and he shook his head vehemently. "Those old crones?" he said, bewildered, "Not on your life, I meant the fact that I was seated across the aisle from a beautiful woman. I managed to get her number." He grinned and showed off the shred of paper.

"Yeah, good job 'Roku." said Kagome with a thumb's up, "You're an expert at looking through purses until you find ID's."

"Hush," he said, shushing her, "You're giving away my secrets." The group rolled their eyes collectively and Kagome returned her gaze to the back of Naraku's head, where she had been burning fresh holes. She couldn't believe Rin was dating a man like that, and she hadnt even known either. But what was more surprising, was that Rin knew what he was doing to her daughter and son's names.

"Oh wow," said Chance quietly as they stepped out of the terminal. "New York is huge, apparently." She looked up at the endless skyscrapers, suddenly feeling a pang of homesickness for her home state of California. At least there they didn't have buildings that blocked out the sun and sky.

Two limousines rolled up to the curb, both drivers coming out and holding up a Dr. Kalory Show card. Chance opted to go with Chase and his family rather than her mother and her creepy boyfriend. Kagome and Inuyasha followed her, leaving Miroku, Christian, and Sesshomaru to suffer with Naraku.

* * *

The NCM channel building was huge, and the set was only one of sixteen in the building. The audience was steadily filing in, at 8 am in the morning. After a 12-hour flight, Chance was having a bit of trouble setting in. She took a nap on the couch and was woken up ten minutes later by Kagome, saying that they had twenty minutes until show time.

Chance got up and got dressed in ironed clothes, placing a bandana (now complete with holes for her ears) on her head to keep her hair back and put on her shoes. She and Kagome had managed to get a shared dressing room, even though she kept going back and forth between theirs and Inuyasha, Chase and Christian's.

The director of the show came up to the group backstage and explained what was going to go on during the show. "We're going to get to the bottom of this mystery, using blood tests, lie detector quizzes, and successions of questions. We will also need you to fill out these release forms." Everyone was handed a sheet, which they quickly filled out.

Naraku had been ushered out into the audience, and Chance almost gagged watching her mother kiss Naraku goodbye. Chance and Chase both needed parent signatures for the forms. Chase's mother signed the form easily, but Rin refused to sign it.

"This form is ridiculous." she claimed, surveying it. "I'm not going to submit my baby to that." She then haughtily handed the form back to the disbelieving Chance.

Chance opened her mouth to argue but Sesshomaru took the clipboard from her. He scrawled his signature at the bottom. Rin began to bicker, but Sesshomaru cut her off quickly. "My name appears as her father on her birth certificate, no matter what the blood test says. I believe my signature is acceptable?" he looked to the director.

Both Chance and Rin looked to the director, who shrugged and took the clipboard. "He's right. It goes by the birth certificate father, not the biological one." she said shortly and turned on her heel to walk away.

* * *

"Good morning America, and welcome to the Dr. Kalory show." said the prim woman sitting behind a desk to the audience. "On today's show, we will focus solely on the hectic life of one teenage hanyou, who leads a very complicated life. Her name is Chance Echerburry. Will you please come out, Chance?"

The teenager walked confidently out onto the stage, feeling more nervous than she showed. She was glad her body usually betrayed her feelings, for once. She took the seat nearest the desk and was quiet as Dr. Kalory surveyed her over a pair of reading glasses. "Chance, would you like to explain your situation for me?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded and began. "I have never known my father, up until about a month ago. I've tried to find him before, but I kind of stumbled on his name this time, with a few hints from my older friend, Kagome."

"That's Kagome Higurashi, star lawyer, correct?" asked Dr. Kalory, looking over her notes.

Chance nodded and continued. "My father is Sesshomaru Tanafeld, lead bassist for the band Demonica. My interest in finding my father this time grew when a new boy came to my school, his name – Chase Thacherny. The thing about Chase is that he looks almost exactly like a male version of me, and we have a lot of things in common. We're really good friends. But then I found out that Sesshomaru really was my father, or at least used to be married to my mother. I also found out that my mother had had an affair before I was born."

"So the question is who is your father, and are you and Chase related, correct?" Chance nodded. "Another question is who the father of your brother is as well, right?"

Chance nodded once more, "We're definitely not sure about my father, but Christian's is suspicious as well."

"Well, you all have signed the release forms for the blood tests, and I have them right here. First, let's bring out the two families. We have Chase Thacherny, and his parents, Diana and Mark Thacherny, Sesshomaru Tanafeld, Rin Echerburry, and Christian Echerburry."

The six people filed out onto stage and Christian sat protectively next to Chance, Sesshomaru on her other side. Chase and his family sat on the other side of the stage while Rin sat beside Christian. "Ms. Echerburry, we know that you've had an affair in the past. If you mind us asking, who was that affair with?"

Rin looked panicked for a moment, shooting a nervous glance over at Chase's father. "I choose not to disclose that information."

"Very well," she said agreeably, looking then to Sesshomaru. "I have the blood test results in hand; however, is there anything anyone would like to say?"

Sesshomaru glanced at Chance and then spoke. "I would just like to say that, even if Chance isn't my biological father, I will still take up full responsibility as if I were."

Dr. Kalory smiled pleasantly and Chance looked down. She shouldn't have doubted, but the situation called for it. "Thank you, we'll take a break and be back to reveal the results."


	9. The Dawning of Answers

Well here it is... The chapter you've all been waiting for!...WHO IS THE FATHER? These questions and more, answered in this chapter. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. I do own Chance, Chase, and Dr. Kalory, along with all of Chance's friends and Chase's parents. Thank you for not suing me. :D

* * *

The show continued momentarily, and they were all asked not to move while the camera panned and then zoomed back in. "Welcome back," said Dr. Kalory only moments after she had said farewell. "For those of you just tuning in, we have Chance and Christian here to find out who their father is and Chase to see if he is related to his good friend, Chance." She pulled out an envelope from under her seat and held it up. "Inside are the blood test results. If we're all done with our last farewells, I believe it is time to open the envelope?"

Everyone was on the edge of their seats. Chance and Christian linked hands, both sharing a nervous look. Sesshomaru, though he didn't look it from far away, had his jaw clenched and his claws were digging into the seat. Even Rin looked a little shifty, glancing toward Sesshomaru and wondering what he'd do if Chance wasn't his.

Dr. Kalory pulled out a sheet of paper, holding it in front of her face and angled so that no one else could see it. "In the matter of Chance and Chase's relation," she gave a dramatic pause "there is no biological relation." Chance and Chase shared a glance of relief, and then blushed. "In the matter of Christian's father," Christian tensed, just wondering. Sesshomaru had closed his eyes. "Sesshomaru, you are the father." Relief washed partway over him, but froze when he heard Dr. Kalory's next words. "In the matter of Chance's father," the PhD holder paused theatrically before continuing. "Sesshomaru, you are the father."

The floodgates had opened and Chance began to cry, she and Christian embracing quickly before she turned to her father – both in mind and in blood. Sesshomaru stared at her for a moment before smiling partially. The two then held the other close. Chance had a father, and Sesshomaru was finally sure both of his children were his. He opened one of his arms to his son and Christian joined in the bear hug.

* * *

The show came and went quickly, and Chance felt closer to having a father than ever. True, she was Sesshomaru's flesh and blood, and she knew just about everything about him, they still weren't close. Sesshomaru, Christian, and she went out almost every other day to get to know each other. Then Christian had to leave again, this time back to his permanent base in Guatemala.

Chance didn't want her brother to leave, but she had no choice in the matter. He gave her a long hug and a short good luck. Naraku, her mother's new boyfriend, was also present. The two shared a knowing glance as he drove off in the taxi. Chance turned around, now in a rather pissy mood. Her eyes narrowed marginally as she saw her mother and Naraku sharing a passionate kiss. Half-gagging, she headed toward the house. She returned to find them in the same position.

"I'm going to Chase's." she said as she passed them. "Get a room..."

Naraku pulled away from Rin for a moment. "Watch your mouth, child." he snapped at her.

Chance whirled around in an unusual bout of confidence and snarled at him. "You're not my father." she hissed. "And you're never going to be." she shot a look at her mother and then picked up her skateboard from the lawn, hopping onto it and riding over toward Chase's.

* * *

The two hanyous were sitting in Chase's immaculate kitchen, both with a piece of fruit in hand. Chance was telling him why she had so abruptly showed up at his doorstep (not that he minded her showing up unexpectedly).

"No way! They were macking out right in front of you and Christian?" said Chase in an astonished tone.

Chance nodded. "It was so disgusting." she said, shaking her head. "Don't get me wrong, I think kissing is cool and all, but when it's your mom and _him_," They shared a look of disgust and they both shook their heads. "So I ran off to your place instead of hanging around there. God only knows what they're doing now."

"Bad mental image." said Chase with a frown.

"Don't send it to me, those things are contagious." she stated, standing up from the island and placing her apple core in the trash can. "Honestly, I don't know how much more of him I can take... And mom said something about them moving in together."

Chase scrunched his nose up in revulsion. "That won't help you out at all."

"Nope," said Chance agreeably, seating herself back at the island. "That's why I've been slowly moving my things into my dad's house. Seriously, about half of my things have been disappearing over to his house and my mom hasn't even noticed. She's too busy with He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named." The two chuckled over her small joke. "I think I'd move in with him, though."

"Doesn't he live on the beach?" asked Chase. Chance nodded. "That's another school district."

Chance shrugged. "I think I might like it better over there," she said, "It's more of a demon-human community than it is over here. I may actually make more friends than I have at Bayford."

"Good point." agreed Chase, "You would keep in touch with us all though, right?"

"You, Bailey, Bri, Bridget, Chelsey, Brooklyn, and Devin," she said assuredly. "I dunno what I'd do without you guys, so I don't think I'd lose contact with you guys." _Especially not you _she added in her mind.

Chase scratched the back of his head and looked down. "I kind of like our little stretch over here, what with us being right around the block from each other."

"Me too, but Naraku is making me more and more uncomfortable there. You know he sleeps over now, too, right?" Chance said with an empathetic look.

"Ew," Chase muttered. "I think I understand why you want to move in with your dad."

Nodding, Chance picked through the fruit bowl. She was still a little hungry, since she had skipped breakfast. "The only problem now is getting my mom to let me move. Technically, she's got full custody. I've managed to get my dad visitation rights and I lifted the restraining order, but my dad needs custody for me to live with him."

"That sucks, but you could always get Kagome to help you out." he stated. Chance nodded mildly in agreement. There was a silent period between the two where they just simply enjoyed the other's company. "If you lived with your dad... I wouldn't get to see you as often, would I?"

Chance shrugged. "My dad's got a load of limos that I could probably use to get my buns over here any time you or I wanted me to."

"It won't be the same." he grumbled, a low growl beginning in his chest. "I like being around you, Chance. You make me feel... I dunno... normal? If that makes any sense," Chase ruffled his own hair, careful of his ears.

Blue eyes stared at her companion for a moment, and then she shook her head. "It does," she said, "You like being around half-demons because you're one, and I don't judge you." Smiling lightly, she looked up at him, a dull sadness in her eyes. "Am I right?"

Chase didn't want to nod. Honestly, he wanted to shake his head and kiss her right then and there, but he restrained himself. It would never work out if she moved away. A little bit of him broke as he nodded. "Yeah," he said, "That's right."

The girl sitting across from him looked down and took a shuddery breath. "I don't know what to do with my life anymore, Chase." she said. He thought he saw a tear drop into her lap and blinked suspiciously. "I just found my father, my mother is going crazy, I have a homicidal maniac at my house almost every other day, and the guy I like doesn't like me back."

His ears pricked at that. Surely she wasn't talking about him. She couldn't be. "Chance," he said uncertainly, standing awkwardly and going around the island bar. "I... Who do you like?" He had to know. Even if it pained her to say it, he had to hear it. She looked up to him with a look in her eye that just set everything right in his life. The seventeen year old got a dawning look on his face. His eyes darted to her lips before leaning down on his way toward them.

"Chason!" yelled Chase's mother. Both half demons jerked and Chance turned around, face flaming.

Chase looked slightly angry and turned toward the stairs, hoping she wasn't on her way down the stairs. If so, then he'd be in serious trouble. His mother could sense anything romantic a mile away. "What?!" he shouted back.

"Get your bottom upstairs and clean that room!" she said, appearing at the base of the stairs. Chase cursed darkly in his mind and turned toward the sliding glass doors. "It looks like a tornado went – oh." The mother's lips curled into a smile and she turned around. "Nevermind, dear," she called lyrically. "I see you're busy."

"MOOM!!!" he shrieked, cheeks burning.

His companion grinned in spite of herself and stood up. "Well," she said slowly, "I guess your room needs to be tended to..." Glancing back at the fuming Chase, she smirked. "Race ya." Without waiting for a response, she took off toward the stairs, whirling around the banister and thundering up them. Chase frowned and ran after her.

* * *

Chance sat quietly on Chase's bed, watching him clean up his disastrous room. "So," she said, "Where does this bring us to?" Her azure gaze landed on him. He had his back turned to her, bending to retrieve an item off of the floor. She had a very nice view of his backside. Raising a brow, she forced herself to look the other way.

Chase righted himself and put something away. Sighing, he leant his head against a bookshelf, an arm dragging against the surface just above it. "Listen, Chance," he said quietly, "I like you – a lot. I want to ask you out, I really do, but I've tried the long-distance thing. I'm just not sure it would work out."

"It's not that far," Chance protested, "Barely ten minutes away, even. And I can get here any time I want." She stood and moved toward him. Chance boldly put her arms around him. She felt him stiffen as she laid her head against his back. "It'll work Chase," she declared. "We'll make it work.

Closing his eyes, Chase let out a long breath. "It just wouldn't be the same..." he muttered.

The girl behind him growled and turned him roughly around. "What wouldn't, Chase?" she demanded, "We'll both be driving soon, and we would have no problem!" A pleading fire burned in her eyes, her lower lip sticking out to show both of her fangs pulling at it. Her hands were both clutching at a parallel shoulder, and she was so close... Before he knew it, Chase was kissing her. It escalated until Chance was grasping at him to keep her knees from going out. He ended it and opened his eyes, face only inches from hers.

"No more protests," he breathed, "I believe that settles it." Chance only nodded in response. "Girlfriend?" he asked in a hushed manner.

"Boyfriend," she returned. The two kissed once more, but Chase kept it short to keep himself from jumping her. He then moved off to finish cleaning. They could plainly smell the arousal on each other, but the thought of Chase's mother walking in squelched the fires. "I should go... before we—we do something we would... regret."

Chase's eyes burned into hers with a passion she'd only seen once before on the day her biological status had been revealed to her school. "I wouldn't regret it." he said simply, before looking away. "I'm going to take a shower." Sidling past her and into the bathroom, she heard the music from his boombox swell as he turned on the water. Her nails bit into her palms and she squeezed her eyes shut in attempts to block out her pituitary gland's inclinations.

Her reserves broke and she moved into the smaller room. A delicate hand turned up the volume on the boombox wisely. Chase smirked from his place under the showerhead as she joined him, cheeks burning.

* * *

evil grin I'll let you two figure out where it went from there...

_Irish Tumbleweed_


	10. One Year on the Alien Planet

**Disclaimer** (since I don't have one throughout the story): I do not own Inuyasha, or any Inuyasha-related characters in this story. However, I do own Chance, Chase, Chase's parents, Dr. Kalory, Chance's friends, and the students at Chance and Chase's school.

**Notes**: This chapter is a might more sappy than my usual stuff, but it has violence to go with it, so I can tolerate it. ;) Have tissues handy if you're a crier. This is the twisty-turny thing that I promised earlier, but enjoy the chapter. I'm not putting up another one until I hit forty reviews. Enjoy.

* * *

_Tuesday, April third_

_Yesterday marked one year on the alien planet! I still can't believe I actually worked up the nerve to move in with my father. I love the way Kagome handled herself in court for the custody case, too. Just writing this brings a smug grin to my face. So far, I've met a total of 37 paparazzis, and so far only beaten the crap out of/and/or stolen the film of 16. I think that's a grand number. Security here is a little lax, as if you couldn't already tell... I'm still working on getting Pops to hand me my own personal butler, but if I really think about it, I don't think I want one. Having someone wait on you hand and foot seems a bit hard to get used to, especially after fifteen years living with my mother. I don't even have to do laundry anymore! Everything's served on a platter by Jakken, which sometimes is a lifesaver. On weekends I get to do laundry though. Train of thought – Dad's dirty undies. Ew._

_Tomorrow marks a full year that Chase and I have been going out. I love my little Chasey-wasey; he's really a great catch. I thank my lucky stars that I found him when I did. I know for sure I wouldn't have made it through the rollercoaster that was finding Dad. At least I've still got him, right? He's taking me out tomorrow – or kidnapping me, as he puts it. He says that we're going to be out until real late, and I hope he's right. Spending more than half a night with Chase will be a blast._

_I need food. I'll go bother Jakken – bye!_

_Chance Echerburry

* * *

_

Chase was riding in his father's restored Corvair on the way to Chance's father's house. The car was a dark, blood red with a black retractable top and leather interior. The speakers had been changed to suit Chase's music preference, each being a good fifteen inches in diameter. The engine had been replaced with a new Ford engine, a V-8 at that. The teen had quite a few strips of pictures of he and Chance in photo booths at the mall, each one hanging by a chain on his rearview mirror. As he pulled up, he smiled at the photographs and touched his favorite tenderly before opening the door. The Corvair was Chance's favorite car to ride in, and his favorite for that reason. It was their one-year anniversary, so he was going to kidnap her for the night.

The midget that Sesshomaru Echerburry called a servant answered the door and frowned at Chase as he just walked in instead of being announced like the other guests. "Hey, Mr. E." said Chase, stepping into the sunken living room where Sesshomaru was reading the newspaper across from the fire.

"Evening, Chase," replied Sesshomaru. "How long are you keeping her?"

Chase smiled. "Until two?" he offered. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow in a threatening manner. "Estimated, of course; she'll probably be home sooner." Despite his casual manner around Chance's father, Chase truly was afraid of him. The man was rather imposing on many different levels, the main one being that Chase had to go through him to get to Chance, should something happen. The fact that he could kick his ass to boot was only another factor.

Sesshomaru nodded in response to his second offer, and shot him a look that told him he should have her home before two. Shrugging, Chase moved toward the stairs and jogged up them to find his girlfriend. "Oh, Chaaaannnce," he called melodically, disregarding the fact that he had a rather horrible singing voice. "Ready yet?" He burst into her bedroom almost unannounced, closing the door behind him and flopping onto her bed.

Chance, from her mirror, shot him a frown. "Do you have to do that?" she was sifting through her closet for a shirt, currently only wearing a bra and a pair of jeans.

Chase admired her bare back and lower as he spoke. "Of course, dear," he said with a grin. "Besides, it's not like I haven't seen it." Chance didn't respond, but blushed and pulled out a shirt. She pulled it over her head and glanced at her reflection before moving over to the bed. Chase was dozing, and she smiled. He was adorable when he was sleeping, but they had reservations, so they had to get going. She kneed the bed and he jerked, opening his eyes to look blearily at her. "Done?" She nodded. "Good, let's go." Chase stood and took her by the hand, leading her down the stairs and such. "Bye, Mr. E!"

"Don't wait up for me, Dad!" Chance said as she took her coat from the toad-like man her father employed.

Sesshomaru returned a parting word before going back to his newspaper. He heard the door close and he listened to his servant bustle about before coming to stand behind his chair. "Young love, eh Jakken?" he commented lightly.

Jakken resisted the urge to gag. He'd had it in for that scrawny runt and her boyfriend since she appeared at their home. "Indeed, sir." he said lazily. "Do you require anything, my lord?"

"Not at the moment, Jakken," he said. "Go see if the cook has dinner ready yet. I'm getting hungry." Jakken bowed and headed for the kitchens, grumbling to himself. Sesshomaru smirked as he heard 'overworked and underappreciated'.

It was unlike any of their other summer dates. Chase took her out to eat and then they blazed a new road until they could see more than a smattering of stars above them. And then, they pulled over and lay together in the back seat and stared at the stars. That was where they could be found now, staring above them at the cloudless sky. All in all, it was rather romantic. "Where are we going?" asked Chance suddenly, breaking their silence.

Chase raised a brow at the question. "We're not moving." he replied, checking that the parking brake was on just to make sure.

Chance snickered. "That's not what I meant, moron," she said. "I meant, we've been dating for six months. And we've... y'know... a few times..." After regaining her bearings, she continued. "So... Are we just going to keep going like this, or have you had thoughts of a longer-termed relationship?"

The boy was caught off-guard by that. "Like marriage, kids, and all that jazz?"

"Yeah," Chance said. She rolled over skillfully – they'd lie in that car before – and looked down at him, playing with her hair. "I mean, really, are we in this for the long haul or are we planning to just date and have sex forever?"

Her boyfriend below her looked as if he was thinking troublesome thoughts, and he was. Did he really want to settle down with Chance? That was a stupid question to ask him; he knew the answer. His mind was screaming at him to just tell her that he wanted to be with her forever, but it wasn't quite that easy. Did he want to settle down soon? He was only seventeen... Maybe not soon, but he did know that he wanted Chance to be the mother of his kids, and be his wife – his one and only.

Chase raised a hand and tucked a few strands of her silver hair behind her ear. "Y'know..." he began, "I've always dreamt of living with one woman for the rest of my life, and knowing my feelings were returned. I've dreamt of her raising my kids with me... But she's never had a face until about six months ago." He paused cryptically, a hand moving up to touch her face gently. "Her face formed into yours, Chance." Chance stopped playing with her hair and looked to his eyes. "I know I've never said it out loud, Chance, but I think my actions speak for me when it comes to thought processes... I love you Chance. I want to spend my life with you... But I want to do it the right way, so I'm not going to ask _the_ question just yet. Is that alright with you, babe?"

The girl above him stared down at him with stunned blue eyes. She only nodded, and then sat up. Chase followed her and peered into her face to try and see what she was feeling. Chance's face moved up and she threw her arms around him. "I love you too, Chase," she said, her arms around his neck. Chase smiled, closing his eyes and putting his arms around her. His eyes opened back up as he heard a car coming. After glancing at the clock, he cursed to see that it was just about midnight. It'd take at least an hour to get Chance home... Was that car stopping?

He growled in a threatening manner as someone got out of the car and walked toward them. "Chance, pull out your cell." he said in her ear, pushing her behind him.

"I wouldn't do that, little hanyou." A knife appeared from his hand and Chase's ears flattened to his head. He cursed and watched the figure approach as he hid Chance as best as he could. Chase growled a little louder and the figure stopped. "All bark, no bite, ne?"

"Oh, I bite alright." he said threateningly. "Now go back to your car and drive off." The man just kept getting closer. Chase growled and shifted a little toward the guy. The shadowy figure lunged and Chase met him half way. Chase managed to strike him in the face, and he fell out of the Corvair and onto the man, punching him again. "Chance, grab the knife!" Chase had pinned the man's arm, but it was taking more than the strength he had. Just the fact that Chance was in danger kept him standing.

Chance saw him struggling with the man and, though scared out of her wits, helped him out by confiscating the man's weapon. She held it gingerly with two fingers at arm's length, a look of disgust marring her features. The man was barely being pinned down by Chase, so she decided to help him out a bit. She sat down on his legs, restricting his movement to mere wiggles.

"Who sent you, and what the fuck did you have a knife for?" Chase demanded, laying an arm across the man's throat and baring his fangs.

Coughing and spluttering, the man responded. "I work for Naraku – I was sent to kill the girl, I swear! He's paying me good money for this, kid, I didn't even want to do it, I swear to God! Don't kill me. Please,"

"I should..." he threatened, increasing the pressure on the man's neck. Chance elbowed him in the ribs. "Quit blubbering! Why does Naraku want her dead?"

"Hell if I know, man!" cried the assassin. "I'm just a mercenary. I'm told who to kill and how much I'll make, that's all! That's fucking all, I swear! Ow! God damn, kid, you're strong!"

"That ain't all I'll be if you don't tell me what the fuck Naraku wants with Chance." he threatened.

The man sighed and Chase jerked at his neck again, causing him to cry out again. "Alright!" he rasped, "Alright, I'll tell you." Chase released a bit of pressure off of him to allow him to speak and breathe freely. "Naraku knows that Rin has an insurance fund on Chance's life, and if she dies that she gets a shit load of cash for it. He wants the money."

"That's a lie. Naraku's got enough money of his own and life insurance funds do not give off that much." The pressure once more bore down on the man's neck. "Now tell me the truth or I swear I'll make you into road kill." Chase hissed down at him. Chance merely watched from her perch on the man's legs.

Paling, the mercenary nodded rapidly. "Naraku didn't send me to kill the girl;" he rushed, "he wanted me to kidnap her. He knows that Sesshomaru would gladly hand over any ransom he asked for, and Sesshomaru's got something he wants. I don't know what it is, that's all I know, I swear!"

"Why did you lie to me about your mission?" Chase growled, putting a little more pressure to the man's neck.

"I had to! He said he'd pay me extra if I suffered! Now please, let me go! I didn't mean no harm; I swear I wouldn't hurt her!"

Chase growled, then reared a hand back and socked him hard in the face. He was knocked unconscious by the blow and Chase stood up off of him. Chance hesitantly stood up as well and leant against the car next to Chase. "What now?" she asked cautiously, looking over at her boyfriend with a worried look.

"Naraku's after something of your dad's, Chance. I need to know what it is, and why Naraku wants it." He looked over at her with a slight sneer upon his face. "That bastard has gone too far."

Chance touched his face gently, placing her palm against his cheek. "Chase... It's nothing – really. Just let my dad handle it..." _I don't want you to get hurt..._

Snarling, Chase took hold of her chin and kissed her. He pulled away and hugged her tightly. "He had a knife, Chance. He was going to hurt you, despite what he said. I love you, Chance, and I'm not about to just stand back and let someone else handle that bastard... Even if your father does have more connections and power than I do, I'm not going to let him do all the work." He released her from his arms and kicked the mercenary once more before climbing into the car. Chance followed with a solemn, troubled look.

* * *

_Tumbleweed_


	11. If I Ain't Got You, Baby

Here are all the songs I've used throughout the story (of which I dont own):

_You Set Me Free_ – Michelle Branch (Spirit Room)

_Good Riddance (Time of our Life)_ – Green Day (Nimrod)

_Be Like That_ – 3 Doors Down (Kryptonite)

_Serenity_ – Godsmack (Serenity)

_Last Christmas_ – Savage Garden (Dunno...)

_I Fucking Hate You_ – Godsmack (Serenity)

And a few more adding today: _You've got another Thing Comin'_ – Judas Priest (Screaming for Vengeance), _Peace and Love_ – Fountains of Wayne (Welcome Interstate Managers – just an excerpt, but it's there), _If I Ain't Got You_ – Alicia Keys (The Diary of Alicia Keys),

A/n: Yeah, yeah... I know I said forty reviews, but glares at readers ya'll don't seem to eager to make me happy. So, whatever. I'm eager to finish this one. I've got 16 chapters written on it, and I'm expecting my imagination to open up with more. Nothing much else to say besides the fact that there will be angst, fluff, and suspense in this chapter, though I'm taking an unusual detour into Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship, instead of using Chase and Chance's. It fits better with meh plot.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

* * *

Inuyasha was sitting around, utterly bored as of now. He hadn't heard much from Kagome since she started the case against Naraku. Lazily, he picked up his guitar and began to sing absentmindedly to one of his favorite songs.

"One life; I'm gonna live it up. I'm takin' flight; said I'll never get enough. Stand tall; I'm young and kinda proud. I'm on top as long as the music's loud. If you think I'll sit around as the world goes by, you're thinkin' like a fool 'cause it's a case of do or die. Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had; if you think I'll let it go you're mad; you've got another thing comin'. That's right; here's where the talkin' ends, well listen; this night there'll be some action spent. Drive hard; I'm calling' all the shots. I got an ace card comin' down on the rocks. If you think I'll sit around while you chip away my brain, listen I ain't fooling' and you'd better think again. Out there is a fortune waitin' to be had, if you think I'll let it go you're mad, you've got another thing comin'. In this world we're livin' in we have our share of sorrow. Answer now is don't give in aim for a new tomorrow. Oh so hot no time to take a rest yeah. Act tough ain't room for second best; real strong got me some security. Hey I'm a big smash; I'm goin' for infinity yeah." (_You've Got Another Thing Comin_ - Judas Priest)

The half-demon smirked slightly. Resting the guitar against his toned stomach as he laid down on his bed, he reached out toward his bedside table. On its return trip, his hand held fast onto a small black box. He popped it open and admired the ring inside. It was silver with sevev diamonds encrusted into the thing, one larger one in the center of the six. He sighed and closed the box. Kagome was drawing farther away from him as of late. He didn't like it. It also compromised his proposal plans. He set the box back down where he'd gotten it and sighed, staring up at the ceiling. He strummed with his claws at the strings of the guitar absentmindedly, a lyric popping into his head. "Lying on the floor, just playing my guitar; trying to find the chords for just the way you are – don't go changing." he mumbled. (_Peace and Love_ - Fountains of Wayne)

He missed Kagome. That was the bottom line of the day. The tune of "Peace and Love", one of their lesser-known songs, kept stringing through his head and he hummed the lyrics as they strung along too. He cooed the "a-wo-ooh"s and blinked as he heard the front door open. The breeze brought the scent straight to his nose. He sat bolt upright in the bed. It was Kagome.

Dignified lead singer of Demonica, **The** Inuyasha Saginuma, made a mad dash for the ring on the bedside table, falling to the floor with an indignant thump. He managed to get the box and stick it underneath his bed before Kagome entered the room.

"Are you okay, Inuyasha?"

Her voice. It was a godsend to him – he hadn't heard the natural one (i.e. – not the one he heard over the phone) in almost two weeks. He got to his feet and nodded before enveloping her in a bruising hug, planting his lips over hers. When he pulled away a few moments later, he grinned down at her. "Did you miss me?" he purred, a hand managing to slip under her shirt.

Kagome frowned and smacked him lightly upside the head. Her arms were around her neck, and it was only a light slap, as it was a light frown. "Yes, I did, you horn dog." She kissed his chin when he began to growl. "What were you doing that made you fall, hm?" she said lightly; innocently. Inuyasha hated that tone. It meant that she knew something, but not the whole story – and if she didn't get the whole story, she was going to be very angry with him. It had happened before.

Inuyasha growled once more and bent his head to kiss her neck slightly. "Dreaming about you," he replied with a smile. Kagome snorted and tapped her foot. He sighed. "I really was," he insisted. "Just... it was a secret what I was thinking. Besides the part of how beautiful you are, and how much I missed you." He'd added the last part as more of a placating gesture than anything; not that he didn't think of her like that anyways. Kagome snickered and kissed his shoulder. She then swatted his behind and pulled away.

"We need to talk, Inuyasha."

The half-demon's heart felt as if a cold hand had wrapped icy fingers about it and squeezed with all its might. Those were the five words he always dreaded in a relationship. He swallowed, but nodded. Inuyasha let his arms drop to his sides and sat down on the bed in a distinctively more reserved manner. No longer were the fires of desire burning in his heart. He crossed his arms over his chest in a show of unconscious defense and closed his eyes. "What do you want to talk about?" he snapped. He felt a weight hit theplace on the bed beside himand instinctively knew it was Kagome without even opening his eyes.

Kagome sighed. She had a feeling this would happen. "Where are we going, Inuyasha?" she asked, placing a hand on his knee. She saw him flinch. Her hand retracted as she frowned. "I mean... we've been dating for almost, what, four years?" Inuyasha gave a contrite nod. "We haven't even been on an outing of just you and me, ever."

"You know why I can't do that," Inuyasha protested, opening his golden eyes to let them burn into her sharply.

She swallowed the lump in her throat as he closed his eyes again. "I know, Inuyasha, but I'm getting sick of it." Kagome paused to file her thoughts. "I can't handle any more fame than I've already got... and I'm so stressed at work... I just don't know if I can handle this relationship any more, Inuyasha."

Any hope Inuyasha had of having a cuddling partner that night was suddenly squelched. His heart skipped a beat. His breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes. His mouth became a tight line. "If breaking up is what will make you happy, Kagome," He bit his lip and exhaled sadly. "Then so be it."

The lawyer nodded and drew in a shaky breath. "I'm not sure what will make me happy anymore, Inuyasha." she whispered. The weight beside Inuyasha lifted and he heard footsteps leaving the room. He heard the front door close. Only then did he allow himself tears. Only then did he allow himself to reach under the bed and miserably pull out the engagement ring he had bought for her only a month before. With all his might, he roared and threw it at the wall. It bounced off and into a pile of laundry, where it would remain forgotten.

* * *

Inuyasha went into the studio the next week, looking like shit, as many people told him. He went immediately to the wipe-board in the corner and looked at the song line-up they had created. With songs like "You Set Me Free", "Poison", "Burnin' For You", "What I Like About You", "The Reason", and "'Gome, You're A Star", the album they were working on practically revolved around Kagome. He shook his head and picked up the eraser. He swiped it across the board as Miroku and Shippo walked into the room.

"Hey! Yasha!" Miroku snapped, springing over to the board and taking the eraser from him. "What are you doing? That had the line-up on it." He looked into the man's miserable, flat eyes and his eyebrows furrowed. "Something happened, didn't it?"

The half-demon nodded in a depressed manner. "She broke up with me." he whispered a little brokenly.

Shippo put a hand on the man's back. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha just nodded and took the eraser back. He removed all the songs from the board and turned back to the guys. "I've got eleven new songs."

"Went on a spree, hm?" Sesshomaru mused as he entered the room. Inuyasha nodded dully. "Let's try them."

"Some people live for the fortune. Some people live just for the fame. Some people live for the power, yeah. Some people live just to play the game. Some people think that the physical things define what's within. And I've been there before. But that life's a bore; so full of the superficial. Some people want it all, but I don't want nothing at all if it ain't you baby; if I ain't got you baby. Some people want diamond rings, some just want everything. But everything means nothing if I ain't got you, yeah. Some people search for a fountain that promises forever young. Some people need three dozen roses and that's the only way to prove you love her. Hand me the world on a silver platter. And what good would it be? With no one to share; with no one who truly cares for me. Some people want it all, but I don't want nothing at all if it ain't you baby. If I ain't got you baby. Some people want diamond rings, some just want everything. But everything means nothing if I ain't got you, you, you. Some people want it all but I don't want nothing at all. If it ain't you baby, if I ain't got you baby. Some people want diamond rings, some just want everything. But everything means nothing if I ain't got you, yeah. If I ain't got you with me baby. So nothing in this whole wide world don't mean a thing if I ain't got you with me baby." (If I Ain't Got You - Alicia Keys)

Inuyasha ended the song on an almost disturbingly depressed note. The song had been more of a ballad than anything. Instead of his usual place at the guitar, the half-demon had taken a seat at the keyboard for this one. He'd sung and Shippo had pitched in for the drums. Sesshomaru gave a smooth bass line while Miroku played around with random instruments to see what may have sounded good. At this point, they weren't recording but just punching out the tune and making sure that this song would make it onto the album. At the end, Sesshomaru had seen Inuyasha swipe at his eyes quickly. He chose, for once, to be mature and let his younger brother be.

Their manager, Kaede, entered the room and looked between the four. Inuyasha looked up at her. "How soon can we have this one out?" he asked almost immediately.

Kaede shrugged. "A week or two," she said, "It depends on how fast you can get them recorded and how fast the shipping companies can get them out." Inuyasha's tone dropped once more. "We could get it out in secluded places nearby the fastest."

The half-demon looked to the rest of the band. "Would you guys mind...?"

"Not at all, Inuyasha," Miroku assured him, speaking for the rest of the group. "We'll stay here as long as the tech crew is willing to record us." He looked to the shaded window and saw a few heads bobble. They also felt that Inuyasha needed to do this.

Inuyasha smiled lightly. The first one he'd done in a few days.

* * *

Two weeks later, Kagome had been just as depressed as Inuyasha. She was "babysitting" Chance at her father's house while Jakken and Sesshomaru were away on business, and Chase had shown up. Chance had the music channel on and Kagome saw Inuyasha's golden eyes appear first on the screen, fading in to show his face with the band behind him. Chance gasped and then squealed. "This is from their new album!" she cried, going silent and watching intently. Old habits apparently die hard.

Across the top of the screen appeared words written in quick script. It said "To my sweetheart – I miss you." The beat began as a piano tune that Kagome recognized. Inuyasha had played around with it, never really giving it a place. The screen faded once more until it came upon Inuyasha, whom was sitting at a piano bench. His golden eyes were deep and soulful, and extremely depressed. His deep voice began to sing in a slight, audible mumble, and Kagome blinked. She found herself leaning against the back of the couch with astonished eyes as he sang. It was taped in a back alley. Shippo was on drums and Miroku was leaning against the brick wall beside him with a saxophone. Sesshomaru had his bass and was sitting on the amp. The overall vision of the video was complete depression and withdrawal.

"Some people want diamond rings, some just want everything. But I don't want nothing at all if it aint you baby. If I aint got you baby." Inuyasha sang.

Kagome did something she almost never did. She made an unplanned, sudden, split-second decision. "I'm leaving." she blurted abruptly, moving around the couch and getting her coat. She jogged out the door and down the walk. Getting in her car, she slammed the door shut and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed a number she hadn't called in a few weeks. Inuyasha's. Swallowing, she heard him answer with a disbelieving hello. "Where are you?"

"Home." he replied. He was almost surely still in a state of shock. She hurriedly said another few words before hanging up and putting the key in the ignition. She quickly put the car into gear and drove off. Chance stood at the window and watched as Kagome bypassed the stop sign at the end of the street. An old red truck plowed straight into the driver's side. Chance's mouth dropped in horror and she screamed. Chance went out the door and ran down the street. The truck pulled back, not battered much, and turned the corner. Chance scrutinized the license plate and memorized it before running back toward Kagome's car.

"Kagome!" she yelled, getting to the side of her car. There was blood – a lot of it. "CHASE!" she screamed back toward the house. "Call 911!" A car pulled up behind her, this time a black SUV with tinted windows. Chance whirled around in time to see the door open. She was yanked inside with a scream and the car pulled away.

Chase came to the front step after speaking with the 911 operator in time to see Chance get pulled, kicking and screaming, into the car. The car sped away down the street in front of him and the window rolled down. The barrel of a gun appeared, along with a hand. The trigger was pulled and he could hear Chance scream his name. Gunshots rang out and Chase felt a searing pain go through his abdomen and chest. He toppled forward and the car drove away. He could still hear Chance's screams as he lost touch with consciousness.

* * *

Ooooh the suspense! Don't you guys just love me? I do hope I get some good reviews from this chapter. hint hint

_Tumbleweed_


	12. Breaking Restraining Orders & Amnesia

...I spoil you guys. I got ONE review...:eye twitch: And I'm not happy putting up this chapter... but I want to finish this story so it doesnt weigh down on me anymore.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

* * *

Chase slowly came into consciousness. The first thought was that his chest and abdomen were completely numb. His head hurt. He winced and groaned as he opened his eyes to stare at a sterile, white ceiling. He heard a name being called, and felt a pang of remembrance. It must be his. A thin woman in her early forties rushed up to the bedside, staring at him with wide eyes. "Chason! You're awake!" she cried. 

He blinked. "Who are you?" he said slowly, just barely reaching the end of the fog that was oblivion.

The woman's face fell and her face turned completely blank. "You don't remember me?" she asked carefully. Chase shook his head. Her eyes closed and he saw a tear make a trail down her face. His brows furrowed. "You don't remember me." she said sadly, as if in shock. A man appeared at the door and Chase turned his confused, blank eyes to him. The woman turned to the man despairingly. "Mark... he doesn't remember me."

Chase was now getting more and more puzzled. Where was he, who were these people, and (more importantly) who was he? "Um..." he began, "Excuse me, but who are you?"

The newly dubbed Mark came over to the hospital bed and looked him in the eye. "I'm your father, Mark." he spoke evenly, as if he were in shock as well. He motioned to the woman who was weeping at the edge of the bed. "That is your mother, Diana. Do you remember who you are?" Chase shook his head unhurriedly, his eyes still showing confusion. "You're Chason, but you like to be called Chase. You're seventeen years old. You're in your junior year at Bayford High School. You have a girlfriend named Chance... she was kidnapped the day you were shot." He paused here, as if considering how his mind would react at learning so much.

"Chason..." he said quietly, looking down at his lap for a moment and recalling the small bit of information he learned. The name of Chance had brought such a feeling of protection, safety, warmth, and love most of all to him that it almost knocked him over. He took a deep breath before staring at the wall and storing that information away, and making sure he remembered it. He felt that it was important.

Mark sighed and ran his fingers through his jet-black hair. "I'm going to go fetch the doctor." he said quietly. Chase caught the sound easily. For a moment, he wondered what he was.

Chase blinked. "Chance," he muttered.

Diana looked up from the chair she had shakily sat in and nodded at him. "Yes... you loved her so much." she said with a shaky voice. A hand rose to wipe tears from her eyes. "She was such a sweet girl."

"I don't remember her." he said, still staring at the sterile, white sheets. He frowned. "Where am I?"

His mother sighed. "The hospital," she replied. "You were shot twice and apparently hit your head on the bricks on Chance's front porch. It was a nasty wound... that's probably why you've got amnesia. But without your memory, Chance may not live." She let out a sigh. "I'm just glad you're awake. The doctors didn't know if you would wake up." She hiccoughed; her shoulders shook.

Mark returned with an older-looking demon in a lab coat. "I see you're awake, Mr. Thacherny."

"Thacherny?" Chase echoed, his confusion returning.

The doctor frowned. "Do you remember anything at all?" Chase shook his head. "Oh dear... Did either of you tell him anything?"

Diana nodded. "Mark told him who we were, who he was, what school he went to, and a little about Chance."

"Can you recall that information for me?" the doctor turned back to Chase.

Chase nodded. "That's my father, Mark." He gestured toward the man, and then toward Diana. "That's my mother, Diana. I go to Bayford High and I'm in my junior year... I'm seventeen. My name is Chason, but I like to be called Chase. My girlfriend's name is Chance. She was kidnapped the day I was shot... and that Chance's life relies on my memory..." He looked up at the doctor. "Is that true?"

"We don't know, Chase. It depends on what you can remember about the people who kidnapped her."

"But I don't remember anything." he said hopelessly.

Diana reached a hand over and patted him on the arm. "That's alright." Chase flinched. Diana's hand retracted. "You never did like being touched by strangers." she said a little sadly.

* * *

Inuyasha sat beside Kagome's bed, looking absolutely miserable. He hadn't bathed in almost two days, as he rarely left her side. He knew he'd need a shower soon, though. The nurses always made sure to come in when he was in the bathroom to keep away from the smell, most likely. He blamed himself for the accident. She was on her way to his house, and had bypassed the stop sign. It was his fault. Inuyasha bent his head and let it create a slight thunk against the metal bar. 

"Please, Kagome," he said quietly, his eyes slowly closing. "Just wake up."

* * *

Sesshomaru growled lethally as he stood on Rin's front porch. He rang the doorbell and Rin came to the door. She frowned at him and placed a hand on her hip. "What do you want, Sesshomaru?" she asked boredly. 

"Our daughter is missing. You could at least pretend to care." he snarled at her through the screen door. "And what I don't get is the worst thing – you're dating the one who arranged to have her taken."

Rin shot him a disbelieving gaze. "Naraku? He wouldn't dare." She gave an exasperated sigh and picked at her nails. "I'll admit I'm a little worried, but Naraku has assured me repeatedly that he's had no part in Chance's kidnapping."

"He's the one that was slandering her name in tabloids." Sesshomaru was livid.

"And you're the one that is violating his restraining order." she said boredly.

Sesshomaru bared his fangs at her instinctively. "That's it. As soon as we find Chance, I'm going for full custody - with no visitation for you."

"On what grounds, Sesshomaru? That you're a better father? You've been away for sixteen years – no judge will ever agree to that." Rin was nervous. He could smell it on her. "But either way, leave before I call the cops." She said this pleasantly and then closed the door on him. Sesshomaru fumed on the porch for a moment before Rin peeked out through the drapery and waved the cordless phone at him. Tugging on the corners of his jacket, he stepped off the porch and back toward his limousine.

The dog demon sat heavily into the back seat of the long, black vehicle and Jakken wisely kept quiet. He pulled out the car-phone and dialed a familiar number. "Mr. Sanchez... I need lawyers. Many, many lawyers. I want to take down Naraku as soon as possible."

* * *

Chance glared at her captor. Her gaze momentarily shifted to the barred window above the man's head. Koga raised a brow at the girl and growled slightly. Chance snarled back at him, but continued to eat her dinner. She'd tried to fight the wolf demon once before, and had learnt that it was a bad idea. She still had the bruise on her hip from the wall. She'd learnt that his name was Koga, and he'd told her that if she was good, he wouldn't harm her. She listened to him after that. Every morning, breakfast was prepared. She was given free roam of the house. However, she couldn't find a phone, and her cell phone had been confiscated. It was now in a safe in Koga's room.

She gave a light sigh and looked boredly around the kitchen. If there was one thing that Koga made sure was perfect, it was the way things were run at the house. There were two other kidnapped girls and a boy there with her, and an older woman that was supposedly Koga's fiancé, Ayame. No one was to leave the table unless they were excused by Ayame or Koga, and only Ayame ever excused them. Ayame was absent tonight, so Chance was stuck until the other four finished eating. She let out a bored sigh and heard a familiar, wolfish growl. She went silent and removed her elbow from the table.

After the youths were dismissed from the table, Chance trotted upstairs to the room she shared with the other girls. She had to admit, she was treated very well here. It wasn't at all what she had expected from her violent trip in the SUV that Naraku had kidnapped her in. She'd specifically seen him in the front seat through the front side mirror during the drive there, but she kept quiet. If they knew she had seen that it was Naraku, she'd be dead for sure. She would be fine here if she could go to school, see her friends, be with her father and brother, but most of all, be with Chase. She had seen him being shot twice.

It hurt to know that he was hurt because of her. It hurt not knowing if he was okay or not. Tears ran down her face and dropped down onto the book she was reading. She snapped it shut and rolled over. She yanked the cord on the lamp beside her. Tana, the girl who was stuck here with her, came over to her bunk and looked over the top of it.

"Chance?" she asked quietly. "Are you alright?"

Chance nodded miserably. "I'm fine... I'm just thinking about Chase, is all." She sniffled and closed her eyes. "I miss him so much. I don't even know if he's alive."

Tana frowned and reached a hand over to rub her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Chance... He'll be alright if he's as strong as you say he is."

"He is strong." she replied easily. "I just don't know if he's strong enough to survive two gunshot wounds and a blow to the head." She sobbed and buried her face in her pillow. "I don't want to be here. I don't care if Koga and Ayame are nice, I want to go home and I want to see Chase and my dad and hell, I even miss Jakken!" She wailed, not caring if Koga got pissed off or not.

Koga appeared at the door and growled. "Chance and Tana, go to bed!"

The girl just sobbed and turned her nose into her pillow. "I miss my dad. I miss my boyfriend. I miss my butler for Pete's sakes!" Koga growled, but shut the door and walked away. Koga did have some sense of decency. He knew not to mess with crying women, especially when they were in distressing situations such as the one she was in now. "I only wish I could call Dad."

Koga returned at the door a moment later. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "You may call one person. You can talk for one minute. You can not tell them where you are, who you're with, or anything about this place or I will hurt you. Is that clear?" He asked, holding the phone just out of her reach. Chance nodded eagerly and held a hand out for the phone, sitting up in the bed. He retracted it away farther. "Do you swear?"

"I swear, Koga, just please let me call my father." Koga placed the phone in her hands and she hurriedly dialed her father's cell phone number. She heard the snappish hello and the waterworks began once again. "Daddy," she said with a slight smile.

"Chance!" he barked, standing at his desk. "Chance, where are you?"

Chance shook her head and closed her eyes. "I can't tell you, Dad, or he'll hurt me. Is Kagome okay? Is Chase okay?"

Sesshomaru ran a clawed hand through his fingers and motioned toward the officers around him to leave. "Kagome is still in a coma. Chason woke up yesterday and he can't remember anything."

A strangled sob escaped Chance's throat and she covered her mouth. "But he's okay?" She heard a positive reply from the other end of line and relief swallowed her. "Is Kagome going to be okay?"

"The doctors believe that if she wakes up, she will, but the longer she's in a coma the worse it is. Has he hurt you, Chance?" Sesshomaru demanded.

Th girl sighed shakily in relief. "Not much, Dad. I'm alright. I just miss you all so much... Give Chase and Inuyasha my best." Koga tapped his watch. "Tell Chase I love him, even if he can't remember me." Sesshomaru sighed. "I love you too, Dad."

"If he hurts you, so help me..."

"I've got to go, Daddy. I miss you." She hung up the phone and handed it back to Koga. She was still in tears, but they were more relieved than anything. "Chase is okay... he's got amnesia, but he's okay." Koga left the room and allowed himself a small smile. At least he was able to help out one of the kids he held captive. At least they weren't too miserable.


	13. Intense Feelings and Longing

Kind of short, but I'm running low on ideas and I'd rather not rush anything. However, this does give a taste of just how rebellious Kagura can truly be. Muhaha...

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

* * *

Chance took comfort in the darkness as of late. She was trying to sleep, but in the perpetual darkness of the girls' room, it was difficult for her. She usually had a little light on, or Chase was right beside her. Perhaps the darkness reminded her of her nights under the stars she had spent talking quietly with Chase on her balcony. Or the nights they had spent in his car in remote areas... or the nights under the covers with him. She missed him. But, he was safe and so was she, and that was all that mattered right now. They would be together again soon. 

At least, that was what she was trying to convince herself.

God, how she missed him. It had only been a month, but already her body was aching for his caress. She sighed heavily and rolled over to face the window. A shiver ran down her spine and she sneezed. Someone was either speaking or thinking about her. She hoped it was Chase. Sitting up straight in her bunk, she rubbed at her nose and looked hopelessly about the room. The windows were barred. Even if someone managed to get past the prison-like windows, they would still have their work cut out for them trying to escape Koga. He was a legend as the fastest demon runner. They didn't stand a chance if they ran for it.

Unless...

Silently, Chance crept to the window and drew back the drapes. The windows were bolted from the outside, but the bolts were old and rusted. They would probably come loose and eventually give way if a hard enough shove were given. But it would be a thunderous, exaggerated sound. Koga would no doubt hear it. He had his window right below theirs. If she managed to escape the window, he'd hear her, see her, chase her, and beat her while he dragged her back to the house.

The girl sighed and leant her forehead against the glass. If she wanted to get out of here, she would have to have help. She would probably need the help of all the kidnapped children that lived temporarily in the house with her. But she was the eldest, and would end up having to watch them all. It was a fool's errand. She placed a hand against the window and peered out, praying for once in her life. She needed a godsend, a miracle, or a major mistake to help her out now. She would also have to be patient, and wait quietly for her chance to break away from the prison she was in.

* * *

Koga received a phone call late one afternoon from his boss' secretary, Kagura. As usual, she went straight to the point. "Inuyasha Saginuma will come to get the halfling soon. Under Naraku's orders, you will not intercept him, harm him, fight him, or deny him the girl. She will be taken home without a fight. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Kagura."

Shortly after his reply, Kagura hung up the phone. He flipped his cell phone closed and slipped it silently into his pocket. He quietly remembered the face that went with the name "Inuyasha Saginuma". He had known the current rock god back in high school, and the rivalry had been created almost instantly after the two had met. The two hated each other. They argued constantly about the stupidest of things, from the true color of a building to the clarity of a teacher's lecture. In their fight to get better grades than the other, both graduated with honors. Koga supposed that the man had done him some good in his life. Hadn't Inuyasha's band, Demonica, been discovered only a month after graduation, the rivalry would have continued through college.

The wolf demon pondered Chance's relation to the dog. To get his question swiftly and directly answered, he betted that he'd need to use force. While he hated harming children, it had to be done. His animalistic curiosity had to be sated.

* * *

Chase had an odd feeling. The tips of his fingers itched. His palms were sweaty. His stomach was rumbling, but he wasn't hungry. His head hurt, but he didn't have a headache. He felt hot, but he wasn't coming down with a fever. He had the shivers. Gooseflesh was appearing on his arms. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. His throat was dry, no matter how much water he drank. His heart pounded, but he hadn't moved much the entire day. His heart felt heavy. In his mind, the picture Mark had shown him of he and Chance burned into his eyes. 

It had been Bailey's fourth pool party of the summer, according to said boy. Chance and Chase had been able to remove their hats and bandanas, and both were in the center of the pool, along with Bridgit, Chelsey, Bailey, Brooklyn, Brianna, Devin, and Christian. They were playing Chicken, and Bailey's mother managed to snap a picture of the couple. Chance was smiling dearly as she sat perched atop Chase's shoulders. He had two hands wrapped around her knees as he gazed back up at her lovingly with a light smile. With the greenery background, and the marble of the poolside to surround them, Chase had been told that it was Chance's favorite picture of the two of them. Chance was laughing, and her hair was still wet from being dunked a few minutes earlier. She was happy. He looked it as well...

But he didn't remember it. He didn't remember how beautiful she looked in her blue bikini. He couldn't recall the sound of her laughter. He didn't know what she was laughing at. He didn't know how deep their relationship really was. All he could feel was a hole. He didn't remember the party, his friends, his school, his life... none of it. He didn't know why beautiful laughter danced through his head, but he knew who it belonged to. He couldn't call it on command, and sometimes it scared him. He didn't know why he saw two gorgeous blue eyes at the strangest of times, but he knew whose head they belonged in.

He cried out and struck at the bed in frustration. He fell back against the pillows with a slight growl. He had described the symptoms he felt to Diana and she'd said that it sounded like how she usually felt when Mark was away for long periods of time – business trips and such.

Maybe he missed Chance.

The half demon entertained the though for a good ten minutes. If all Mark, Diana, and the friends that had come through had been telling the truth, then he had been with Chance a little over a year – since their sophomore year. It was possible that his body was feeling the effects of Chance's disappearance while his mind remained oblivious. Chase thought about this. He retained a general knowledge of anything he'd ever learnt in school. He could even still speak semi-fluent French. He remembered a few bits and pieces of his history, and Mark had filled in the blanks of what he was. But anything even remotely personal – friends, family, relatives... Chance – all of it had disappeared.

Chase sighed. Even his personality traits had hit the road. All he could tell was that he was too easily frustrated, and wasn't a cat person. Through interactions with the nurses, his friends and family, and the other people he encountered at the hospital, he slowly learned what was natural and usual for him.

What he didn't know was anything that Chance and his relationship. He understood that he loved her – if only subconsciously now. But he'd only ever seen her in photographs that he could remember. Opinions from friends and the people who adored her couldn't help but be biased either. Anyone that he asked had always studiously avoided telling him just how deep their relationship really was. He didn't have the slightest clue whether they were occasional date buddies, or even sex fiends that used each other.

The heels of his hands dug into his eyes momentarily. He was getting a headache from wracking his brain for anything that even seemed familiar. Rolling over onto his side, he decided that he had solved all he could on the mystery of Chase Thacherny. With his last picture in his mind being Chance's eyes, and the last sound, her laughter, he fell to sleep.

* * *

Kagura walked primly up to the front desk and asked to see Ms. Kagome Higurashi. It was too easy. They pointed her in the right direction, and she walked stiffly down the hall to the elevator, which brought her to another hallway. She let herself into the hospital room and saw the broken man hunched beside the unconscious girl. The half-demon's ears twitched and he lifted his head. He raised a brow at her. "Who are you and what do you want?" he demanded. 

"Testy today, are you Inuyasha?" she drawled, entering the room. She ignored his growls and moved to Kagome's bedside. "I know where Chance is." she told him bluntly.

Inuyasha's growls ceased. "Where is she?" he asked carefully, almost forgetting that Kagome was there.

The wind demon shrugged noncommittally. "I would tell you, but then you'd go and tell that nasty Sesshomaru. Naraku wants you to go after Chance yourself."

"So you're one of Naraku's lackeys, hm?" He snorted at her. "I can't trust you." His voice was rough from lack of use and tears. Kagura could easily tell that much.

Kagura raised a brow gently before looking down at Kagome. "Hmm... she's so delicate in this condition. You never know when something may just... happen." The breeze that was floating in from the open window turned into a gale-force wind that nearly knocked everything over in the room. Inuyasha held tight to Kagome's bedside, but Kagome began to hyperventilate.

"Stop it!" Inuyasha barked.

The winds stopped almost immediately. Kagura smirked lightly. "So... are you ready to go after Chance?"

"I can't trust you."

"Yes, you can. I hate Naraku almost as much as you do. I'm his slave. It's great fun, really, I get to do all his dirty work. But on the other hand, I do get good pay, and I get to show all my frustrations. But, I still hate him. You can trust me to tell you where she is, and find out yourself whether she's there or not." Kagura picked at her nails, uninterested.

Inuyasha growled slightly and looked up at her. "What's the catch?"

Kagura smiled lightly. "If you tell Sesshomaru or anyone else," she told him, "We'll kill the girl." Inuyasha began to protest but she held up a hand. "You know Naraku would. As of now, you've got nothing on him. Mr. Thacherny in there can't remember a thing, and without Chance's testimony... you've got no evidence. Not even the star lawyer before us could dare take on the case."

The half-demon sighed deflatedly. "So basically, I've got to go find her and fight whatever guards he may have posted there. I'd probably die. But it would be a good reason. Right?"

"Wrong," Kagura chirped uncharacteristically. "She's at a house in a residential area. There's only two guards, and one is hardly ever there. Even so, they've both been told to let you have the girl, unscathed."

Inuyasha sighed. "Alright. Where is she?"


	14. Jogging a Memory is Hard Exercise

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. I'm not even making money off of this, so no one could really sue me and win. I'm just writing stories for fun – if I were making money, then I would have to have a disclaimer. But honestly, these things have no real point to them besides the fact that they annoy the hell out of many fangirl authors. They just remind us that no, we don't own Inuyasha. And no, we're not filthy stinking rich by way of just using our imagination. I bet you Rumiko Takahashi has a nice, cozy, HUGE flat in Tokyo that she doesn't even have to share, while I get to share a two-bedroom, small duplex with my mother. It's a _great_ place... But back to my original point, disclaimers are pointless. I just thought I'd rant on that for a moment.

* * *

At dinner that night, the group had assembled at the table in the dining room. Ayame was there, which was a monumental thing in itself. A few of the girls welcomed her back politely, but Chance stayed silent. She was thinking about Chase. Koga, on the other hand, was still wondering about her relation to his former rival, Inuyasha Saginuma. He swallowed a chunk of meat and turned his eyes to Chance. "So," he began. "Chance, I hear you know Inuyasha Saginuma." It was an innocent statement, but it caused a clatter of dropped silverware from the girls of the table, besides Ayame and Chance. It was the first time Koga was initiating any dinnertime talk. Second, he had mentioned the rock god himself, Inuyasha Saginuma of Demonica.

Chance just looked up like a deer in the headlights. Shock wore off from the other people at the dinner table. Cutlery was retrieved as eyes turned to Chance curiously. Chance wiped her mouth off politely with a corner of the napkin in her lap. "I do," she said noncommittally. The girls started chattering in hushed whispers. Tana, sitting beside Chance, hissed at her, asking where, when, and how she had met him.

"Silence!" Koga barked. The girls obediently quieted and looked down to their plates. Their eyes still slid to Chance in the "I really can't help but to be curious" sort of way. "How do you know him?" Koga demanded. His cobalt blue eyes burned into hers. She shivered. They looked like Chase's.

She shook herself and peered down at her plate. "He's my uncle." she said softly. The fangirls at the table gasped in unison. Not only had she met the rock god himself, but she was related to him! Like, by blood! The whispers began again. But before Koga could get a chance to snarl at them, a knock at the door sounded. Not only did it save the girls from a possible beating, it also halted Koga's interrogation. He glowered at Chance and the rest of the girls. He motioned for Ayame to open the door.

Ayame pushed her chair out and walked submissively to the door. They could hear it open if they trained their ears enough, which Chance had. They could hear Ayame's polite inquiry of the visitor's business there. The familiar, rough voice that answered sent a shock through Chance. "I'm here for Chance." Chance's eyes met Koga's. Recalling Kagura's words, he nodded.

Hurriedly, Chance stood up and rounded the corner to the hallway before the door. She was almost surprised to see Inuyasha standing at the door. Despite his being in a horrible condition, he was there for her. He had saved her. He might not have been Chase, but she suspected foul play anyways. Disregarding any of these thoughts, she ran and threw her arms around him. He comforted her, but led her back to his care silently. He drove away without any complaint from her.

Inuyasha kept careful watch on the cars nearby. He wasn't followed. Somehow, he had convinced Sesshomaru, over the phone, to meet him at the hospital. Though thoroughly irritated that he had to break away from his law books and attorney councils, his brother agreed.

* * *

Chance only needed three stitches above her left eyebrow from a blow delivered by Koga earlier that morning. She sat in a reserved fashion on the cold metal table as Inuyasha stood, keeping watch, just outside the door. Sesshomaru rounded the corner and saw his brother first, standing in front of the open door. He growled and stalked over. Chance's coo of "Daddy?" may very well have spared Inuyasha his life from the livid dog demon.

Sesshomaru's head turned to gaze into the room and he was stunned to see his beautiful, sixteen-year-old daughter sitting inside the room, having medicine administered upon her brow. She was unscathed, and she was alive, and she was right before him. He entered the room as if in a daze and Chance held out her hand, not yet allowed to move her head. Her hand was kissed by his lips and he held it to his chest. His little girl was alive and safe, right in front of him. He'd never let her out of his sight again. Inuyasha sauntered away, no doubt to resume his post at Kagome's bedside.

His niece, however, demanded to see Chase. She was warned again and again by the nurses and her father that he didn't remember her what so ever, but her resolve didn't falter. She was going to see her long-term boyfriend, even if the emotional trauma may take many years to get over.

The door was before her. When she opened it, she would see his face. She would gaze into his eyes. He wouldn't remember her face. He wouldn't remember her eyes. Chance's clawed hand rested on the doorknob hesitantly. Could she really take that? Could she honestly stare into Chase's eyes, knowing that he didn't remember a damn thing that they had done together? Could she restrain herself from jumping him on the spot and kissing him until he turned blue?

With a deep, calming breath, she cleared her thoughts, and opened the door.

To Chance's surprise, and Sesshomaru's as well, Chase's ears twitched and he blinked as he saw her. He said her name softly before holding out a hand to her and smiling. Chance had rushed over and taken his hand, tears regrouping in her eyes to blaze more trails down her cheeks. However, his next statement would knock her off her feet. "I've heard so much about you."

If there ever was one sentence that Chance could hear from Chase that would completely destroy her person; one that would shatter her heart; one that would take away anything she's fought for; one that would break her hopes and dreams; one that would desecrate the future that she had hoped for with Chase... that had been it. "You... don't remember me." she said simply.

Chase shook his head with a frown. "I'm sorry," he said. "I wish I could. But I don't." The tears refused to fall as Chance's shoulders began to quake. This person wasn't Chase. This person wasn't her boyfriend – wasn't her passionate lover whom she had come to know, love, and treasure beyond anything she'd ever been given. This wasn't Chase. It was an alien that had taken over his body. She retracted her hand from his and she shrank away from him. A shaking hand covered her mouth and she shook her head before fleeing away from the room.

Chance managed to find Kagome's room. Though she was still wracked with sobs, she curled up in a chair beside Kagome's bed and took the woman's hand. Inuyasha had at first wondered what was wrong, but then remembered Chase. She was crying because he didn't remember her.

Sesshomaru had stayed in Chase's room. He looked down at the youth, who was staring after his daughter in confusion. "What did I do, Mr. Echerburry?" he asked, oblivious.

The demon shook his head and took a seat at Chase's bedside. "My daughter loves you." he stated simply. "Possibly more than life itself... The fact that you don't remember her has broken her heart... She didn't know the impact it would have on her. She'll be alright, with time."

* * *

It was another week before Chance dared enter Chase's room. She had come in with tears in her eyes, but had resolved also to try and help him regain his memory. "Hi, Chase." she said quietly as she entered the room. Chase had been staring blankly out the window. Chase turned and smiled, returning the greeting. She sat beside him on the bed and gazed out the window. "What are you looking at?"

"Oh, nothing much..." Chase said with a shrug. "Rooftops, birds, treetops... I wish I could go outside."

Chance raised a brow and turned as a nurse came into the room. "That may be able to be arranged." she told him, a small smile appearing on her face. Chase peered at her curiously. "My uncle and father can be _very_ persuasive when they want to be." she whispered to him with a mischievous grin. His own face lit up with a beam and he thought he saw Chance's eyes darken a moment. In her mind, she was thinking of just how much that grin hadn't fit on Chase's face. It wasn't natural. But she knew it was him in there, somewhere. All she had to do was find him.

* * *

The next day, Chance had managed to get the doctors to allow Chase out for an entire six hours. She intended to take him around town to places they had been. It was Saturday, so she was able to go pretty well anywhere. Chance was driving while Chase sat beside her, her father in the back for security reasons. They were headed for Bayford High School. She had already arranged for Bailey, Devin, Bridget, Brooklyn, and Chelsea to meet them at the school.

Chase was led up to the school by Chance, their arms linked. He didn't understand it. For the month he could remember, he hated anyone touching him. When Chance touched him, he didn't mind. Hell, he even liked it. Therefore, he said nothing and just smiled as she took his arm and allowed himself to be led up to the school and through the front gate. A group of his friends were standing around under the tree they had usually hung out in. Chase was looking around curiously. The place seemed significantly familiar, but he couldn't place any one memory.

He turned his indigo eyes to the tree. It wasn't called Blackheart tree for nothing. In fact, another high school had a Whiteheart tree in the center of their courtyard. He remembered the story behind the trees. Opening his mouth, he recited it quietly to himself. "Back in 1970 when the school was started, it taught mainly blacks. A few white students from another school came in and painted a black heart on the tree in the center of the campus. The black students retaliated by painting a white heart on their courtyard's tree. Since then, the trees have been referred to as the Black- and Whiteheart trees – the yin and yang of the school district."

Chance smiled as she listened to the Yin-Yang Trees Legend. "See," she told him smartly, "I knew this place would help jog your memory." Chase only smiled. "Hey guys!" she waved to the group hanging around the tree. Bailey smiled warmly and waved back, as did the rest of the cluster of friends. They got reacquainted quickly before Chance suggested that he try and remember his schedule.

The half-demon glanced around the courtyard. "Is this where I started out in the morning?" he asked. Chance nodded. He felt a pulling motion toward his left and he looked. He studied the number on the building. 900. He started to walk toward it and Chance grinned, following him. "Computer applications," he said with a triumphant smile. "With Ms. Davis, room 911. It's upstairs; odd numbers upstairs, even downstairs."

"That's right, Chase!" Chance cheered. She followed him with a slight skip in her step as he continued from the doorway into the 900 building.

Chase grinned as he paused in the center of a hallway. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked around. He felt a familiar tug toward his right and so away he went. He said what he thought the class was out loud to his friends as they trailed after him and he'd hear a shout of approval from Chance or Bridgit. "French 5-6," he said aloud as the last class. "With Mr. Hickman, room 342 – top floor." He crossed his arms and turned around as he recited the class and looked triumphantly into Chance's eyes.

She was grinning madly. "Good job, Chase." she said, going over and hugging him. She left her arm around his shoulders and steered him back toward the car. They left for Bailey's house next. The place of many a pool party may help get his memory kick-started as well.


	15. Tough Questions and the Dream

The trip outside had refreshed Chase, and he seemed more eager than ever to remember everything. He had Chance bring in the photograph albums they'd put together. She sat beside him on the hospital bed and smiled at all the memories. Chase watched himself grow from being giddy at having his first serious relationship, to deeply loving a girl. Chance had left the three albums with him. She was due to go to school, though she now was subtly followed by a bodyguard each day. She had visited him that morning, and promised to bring more pictures that afternoon.

For reference, Chance had taken the time to give a short explanation as approximately where and when each picture had been taken. He smiled at the photographs. In one, Chance was pointing to his nose and laughing. It had chocolate ice cream all over it. In the next photograph, she was licking it off for him. He touched his nose and he could just smell the chocolate and her breath over his lips... It took him a little under six hours to get through all three of the albums. He took the time to imagine each photograph and just how it must have been. He also kept himself busy by trying to remember the goings-on just before and after the photograph was taken. He had little success, but sometimes a spark would flash in his mind and make him giddy.

By the time he had finished, one of the nurses bustled in and told him that she had seen Chance on her way up. Chance always visited Kagome for a short time before coming to see him. He didn't mind. He knew that Kagome had a fifty-fifty percent chance of dying or living. He also knew the toll it was taking on Inuyasha. Inuyasha came in to check in on Chase every day at precisely six o'clock, and each day he looked just a little bit worse.

Chance appeared at his door with a forced smile. She was holding back tears. "Kagome's no better – the doctors say that her brain activity level is slowly going down." Chase grimaced and looked at her in what he hoped was a comforting look. "Even so, I got the picture strips off of your rearview in your Corvair." She marched over, slung her backpack expertly into a chair, and handed him the small strips of photographs they'd taken in the mall picture booths.

Chase smiled at the images of the two of them. They had pictures where they were kissing, pictures where they made fun of each other, pictures where they crossed their eyes and waggled their tongues about, pictures where they were smiling joyfully and just holding one another... Chance pointed out his favorite, and he acquired an instant liking to the photograph.

The two just looked comfortable together, unlike many high school couples where they were just discovering each other. "This was taken about a week before our one-year anniversary." Chance told him with a smile of remembrance. Chance was behind him, her arms hung over his shoulders with an easy smile on her face as she stuck her chin over his right shoulder. Chase was grinning and red, in the midst of laughter and had one hand over her two, looking up at her. "We took it to a professional printing center to have it enlarged and we got copies of it. We both have a framed one at our houses. I think you saw mine when we went to my house."

He nodded absentmindedly. As much as he figured that his phantom symptoms would go away once Chance returned, they hadn't. In fact, as Chance had an arm over the back of the bed, leaning into his shoulder gently, he could feel himself flush with excitement. He didn't understand the feeling. Chase stared at the picture to give the rouse that he was still studying it; he tuned out and pondered more. He found himself thinking more and more often lately.

"Chance," he said suddenly, his ears flicking back and forth. "Did we... have sex?" He asked this in a quite awkward tone, keeping his voice quiet as he asked it and avoiding eye contact. He felt Chance tense. He felt some of her hair fall onto his shoulder as she canted her head slightly.

"Yes," she said at length, "on more than one occasion." Taking a shaky, deep breath, she stood and left the room with a small "excuse me" to Diana, who was just coming into the room. Diana crossed the room to his bedside and placed a kiss on his forehead, as was her customary habit. Chase forced himself not to mind, telling himself that she was his mother and she had every right to do so.

Diana looked to the door and then back to Chase in a silent question. "She loves me," he said quietly.

The woman sighed, but nodded and busied herself with the flowers at his bedside. "You love her, too, Chase."

"I don't remember anything," he protested. "Just bits and pieces that don't fit together. It's like a puzzle with too many missing pieces." He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding his ears easily. Chase set the photograph strips down on the bedside table near the vase Diana was fussing over.

"Listen to your heart." she directed, standing upright and placing her hands on her hips. "What's it telling you?" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she waited for a response.

Chase closed his eyes and closed off any sounds he heard. "That I love her," he said at length. He sighed once more and shook his head. "I don't even know her."

"Yes, you do." Diana replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I've seen the way you touch her when she's fallen asleep here accidentally. I've seen the way you hold her every other day after she begs you to. I've seen the way you look at her, the way you talk to her... Your mind may not remember her, but your heart and body sure do."

He nodded. "I just wish I could remember."

"You will," she said, nudging his leg gently. "These things just take time."

An exhalation of exasperation was let loose shortly after her statement, showing Chase's distaste. "Unfortunately, I don't have time. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru have both told me that unless I testify what I saw the day Chance was kidnapped, there really is no trial against Naraku. I want to take him down..."

Diana placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't get yourself worked up, dear." she said softly. "Patience is the key to anything in this world."

"That and a butt-load of work." he groused, crossing his arms.

"Mind your language," she prodded.

* * *

Inuyasha had fallen asleep once more at Kagome's bedside, her pale hand resting in his. The beeping of her heart monitor had ceased to bother his ears after seven months in the damned place. However, a new noise entered his ears that was unfamiliar. He heard a rasping voice calling his name. His ears twitched. Blearily, he lifted his head and looked up at Kagome.

Her eyes were open. Her mouth was moving. "Inuyasha?" she called quietly.

"I'm here, Kagome." he assured her, squeezing her hand. She gave a limp compression in return and he poured her a glass of water with one hand. "Drink some water, Kagome." he told her quietly, holding the glass to her lips and raising the bed so she was in a slightly sitting position. She weakly drank it down and gazed at him lovingly. He placed the cup back on her bedside table and the same hand was placed on her cheek. "You're awake."

Kagome smiled and her eyelids drooped. "I'm so tired, Inuyasha." she whispered. She fell into the abyss that was unconsciousness once more. Inuyasha's eyebrows furrowed and he tapped her cheek lightly. Glancing to her heart monitor, he saw that all was well. She was just tired. She needed food; nutrients. He hit the nurse button and a nurse came bustling in, her eyes on the heart monitor, then her face, and finally Inuyasha's.

"She woke up for a few moments." he told the nurse. "I gave her some water... she said she was tired and went back to sleep."

The nurse frowned. "Well it sounds like her coma is finally breaking... we'll start her on a liquid diet tomorrow morning, dear. Get some sleep. I doubt she'll awaken again tonight."

Inuyasha nodded and leant his head against Kagome's hand, entwined with his. He easily slipped back asleep. He didn't want to miss her waking in the morning, if she did wake.

* * *

Four months later...

Chase awoke suddenly and sat bolt upright in the bed. His breathing was labored and he put a hand to his chest. Closing his eyes, he got his breathing under control before surveying all the information his dream had sold him. He remembered the long nights under the stars with Chance. He remembered meeting her for the first time. He remembered the Demonica concert. He remembered the pool parties. He remembered his life. A bubbly, blonde nurse named Debbie came bouncing into the room. Chase guessed that there had just been a shift-change.

"Chance," he asked her breathlessly, "Where's Chance?"

The nurse blinked at him for a moment. "Oh, honey, you just missed her. She came in and set that down on the table, kissed your forehead, and went off to school. She was such a little darling, though. So nice to all of us nurses," Debbie had a country accent that was currently getting on his last nerve, and he remembered her as his main nurse for the morning.

"I need to see Chance," he pleaded. "I – I remember everything. Please, get her in here!" His tone was almost frantic; desperate.

Debbie waved him off. "You'll have to wait until she gets out of school. But you say you remember everything? I'll go get Doctor Weis in here."

Chase threw his hands into the air as Debbie left the room and stood up. He wasn't surprised to find himself in a hospital gown. If he remembered correctly, Kagome's room was down the hall... Dr. Weis appeared at the door before he could escape the room and made him sit back down on the bed.

"So, that amnesia finally get all cleared up?" he asked. Weis was currently shining a pencil-thin flashlight in his eyes to check his pupils, but Chase was getting angry. He only nodded and tipped his head as the doctor examined his ears, throat, lymph nodes, and checked his breathing. "Everything checks out fine... let's get someone in here that can verify your memories. Mother, father...?"

"Chance." he said almost desperately. "My girlfriend," he clarified. "She's at school right now, but I'm sure Mr. E wouldn't mind pulling her out for a few periods. Please, Dr. Weis, I need to speak with Chance."

Dr. Weis studied the boy's urgent expression and nodded. "How can I get a hold of her?"

"Give me a phone."


	16. One Step Beyond

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or One Step Beyond by Madness, or Blink 182.

Y'know, almost right after I posted the fifteenth chapter, I got an idea for this story. I should've had Chance dabble around in some stuff she shouldn't have while Chase was away, which would've caused for more drama and generally a better read for anyone who is like me and, consequently, Loves Drama. But no... Mebbe in the sequel, if I shift it around a bit.

Instead, this chapter gets to have a different kind of fluffy drama that almost makes me gag just writing it, but you know Chase had to remember eventually, right? Sorry it took me so long to update, though. was being pissya few days ago when I first tried to post Chapter 16.

Anyways... Enjoy!

* * *

Jakken came to pick Chance up from school almost ten minutes after she had arrived. He only told her what he knew – that it involved Chase. Her nerves were on end. She opened the car door while the vehicle was still in motion and left her backpack in the limousine. She cleared the stairs easily and ran all the way to the third floor of the hospital. She relied on her own strength instead of the elevators – they were tricky and she couldn't trust them. She burst into Chase's room, half-expecting to see him lying dead on the sterile white bed sheets. What she did see surprised the hell out of her. 

Chase turned toward the door the moment it opened and he stood as he saw her. "Chance!" he blurted, taking steps toward her. "I remember – all of it." Chance blinked in surprise before she stepped forward and threw her arms around him. Chase hugged her back, so glad to have her back in his arms where she belonged. He was so glad that he remembered everything sooner rather than later. After they had sent for Chance, he read the note she had left on his bedside table a few days ago. She had intended to kill herself if there hadn't been any progress by the end of the week. It was Friday.

Burying his nose in her hair, he picked up her beautiful scent and closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of her form in his arms. Chance pulled away and beamed at him with tears streaming down her face, and with good reason. Her boyfriend of over a year hadn't kissed her, held her, or told her he loved her in almost a year. He leant down and kissed her gently, and cut it off before it became a little too heated between the two. There may not have been anyone else in the room, but there were nurses and doctors around.

"I love you," he said hoarsely into her ear. "I'm so sorry I was away for so long."

Chance kissed his cheek gently and buried her face into his neck. "It wasn't your fault." she assured him, rubbing his back. "I missed you so much..." Chase apologized once again, and then Dr. Weis appeared back into the room. Chase gazed up at him from behind Chance. He nudged her and she broke away, looking to Dr. Weis with a slight smile. "You called for me, Doctor?"

"I did." he said with a nod. He glanced down at his clipboard. "We need you to verify that Chase's memory has returned. So we're going to ask him questions about you that you've told us he should know. Do you remember this procedure?" Chance nodded. "Good." Dr. Weis turned back to Chase. "When is Chance's birthday?"

"August 23, 1987," he replied easily. Chance nodded to confirm the date.

Dr. Weis smiled. "Good. What is Chance's favorite book?"

Chase grinned. "That's easy; anything out of the Irish Tumbleweed series."

"Favorite television show?"

It continued on like that for a good hour, and Chase promptly and effortlessly answered each question correctly; whether it be about his own history, Chance's, or his family's. Chance was proud. Then came the final test – his information.

"Date of birth, full name, father's full name, mother's full name, where they both work, your address, home telephone number, school, and full school schedule."

Chase blinked and dove into the information. "June 28, 1987," he said slowly. "Chason Marcus Thacherny, Marcus Louis Thacherny, Diana Cynthia Vilas-Thacherny. Dad works at the phonebook company in L.A., and mom works at Elderly Assistance Corps. (562) 873-7755, Bayford High School." He paused to think once more before he recited, perfectly, his entire school schedule. "Is that good enough, Dr. Weis?"

The doctor looked impressed. "My dear boy, you've made what seems like a full recovery."

* * *

Chase had managed to skip school and he made it to Chance's house, twenty minutes before he was to pick her up. He used his spare key to slip in and made a ruckus at the front door to alert the household of his arrival. Sesshomaru was in his office, where Chase figured he'd find him. He quietly leant against the wall beside the door. Sesshomaru glared at him momentarily before finishing up a phone call and setting the phone down into its cradle. "Is there any particular reason you've come to see me, Chase, or are you just going to stand there and stare at your feet?" 

The half-demon gulped. Slipping a hand into his jacket pocket, he retracted a small, black box. After gazing at it for a moment, he tossed it Sesshomaru's way. He easily caught it and raised a brow, popping it open. "It's a promise ring," said Chase, "Not an engagement ring. I know we're still pretty young, but I wanted to do this the right way... In fact, I was going to ask you the day Chance was kidnapped." He frowned and looked into Sesshomaru's eyes, studiously ignoring the feeling of dread that was creeping up and down his spine, making him shiver. "Mr. Echerburry, I'd like to ask of you the honor of your daughter's hand in marriage, sometime in the future."

Sesshomaru eyed the boy carefully. It was a promise ring, not an engagement ring. No matter how much he doubted that any marriage the two would have could last, judging by his own past experiences, Chase made his daughter happy and that was all that mattered to him. Nodding slightly, he tossed the ring back. "You may."

A splitting grin appeared on Chase's face and he resisted the sudden urge to go up and hug Sesshomaru. "Thank you so much, Mr. E. You've got no idea how much this means to me."

"I think I do." Sesshomaru allowed himself a small twitch of the lips. Chase caught it and blinked. "Go on," Sesshomaru said, waving his hand and turning back to his computer. "I believe you've got to pick up Chance from school soon."

Chase nodded eagerly and disappeared out the door.

* * *

**Three days later; Saturday**

"Hey, you! Don't watch that! Watch this! This is the heavy, heavy monster sound! The nuttiest sound around! So if you've come in off the streets, and you're beginning to feel the heat – well, listen, buster! You'd better start to move your feet to the rockin'est, rock-steady beat of Madness! 'One Step Beyond'!" Bailey recited easily, doing a full imitation and Jamaican accent of the Madness lead singer. The song then began with a jazzy tune and the entirety of Chase's friends and younger relatives began to dance to the rock-ish jazz. Chance and Chase were doing a quick little play-dance that looked like a mixed breed between a waltz and a tango.

It was Chase's "Welcome Home!" party that Chance had thrown together at almost the last minute. The music was loud, the food was good, and Chase had his girl with him. He was happy.

Chance threw her head back and laughed as Chase dipped her and then brought her back up for a twirl. She danced away from him alluringly, shaking her hips and moving with the fast-paced music. Chase played along, dancing after her. One of his cousins intercepted him and they danced quickly, but he removed himself from her and crept up behind Chance when she weaved out. He caught her about the waist from behind and buried his nose in her curled hair.

Purring, she reached her hands back to rest in the back pockets of his swim trunks. The two moved fluidly with the music before Chase parted from her and turned her around. Pinning her loosely against the wall, he kissed her. Their tongues moved with an age-old battle for dominance before Chance pulled away. She mouthed "later" and she flounced over to the great spread of food outside, beside the Thacherny's pool. Chase waited a few minutes to cool down before he stalked his prey to the patio outside. He waited until she had set down her cup to jump and snake an arm around her waist, pulling her into the pool with him. He landed in the water on his back and came to the surface, pulling her up beside him.

They kissed and she socked him. "Don't do that!" she shrieked over the blaring Blink 182. "You scared me." Chase kicked his feet to keep the two of them afloat in the deep end. He kissed the corner of her mouth and she said no more as he back-paddled away from her with a sexy grin. Chance raised a brow, and then shook her head. "You're crazy." she muttered, heading for the edge of the pool.

* * *

Three hours later, the music had died down and dinner was being served. A few people were in the pool – they weren't hungry. For the most part, everyone was dry, tired, and fed. Chase had ransacked his CD collection until he found their song "You're My Best Friend" byQueen.He popped it into the outdoor entertainment system and hit play, though he plugged a microphone into it. Grinning, he turned to the crowd, which had been observing his actions for the past three minutes. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't already know her – you should! Chance, come up here please, babe." he spoke into the microphone. Chance, blushing, obliged and came to stand beside him. "Ladies and gents, I love this little lady." He kissed her cheek and stuck a hand into his pocket. "And I know it may not be much, since neither of us are very religious, but," He pulled a small, black box out of his pocket and popped it open against his thigh. He then held it up to Chance as he knelt. "I would love for you to take this promise ring graciously, and allow me the honor of someday becoming your husband."

Chance was stunned. She hadn't expected this. Maybe sometime around graduation, she figured he would pull something – but at his welcome-home party that she'd thrown him? This was a curveball. One hand of hers reached down to caress the three emeralds engraved in the silver of the ring.

"C'mon, Chance." he whispered, the microphone away from his mouth. "I'm all out of patience – I've got to know." Smiling, Chance nodded and held out her left hand. Chase grinned and took the ring out of its little box, slipping it onto her ring finger. He kissed her gently and the crowd began to applaud. "Can't wait until tonight," he whispered as he retreated. He took her hand and kissed it before holding it up, turning to the crowd and returning the microphone to his lips. "I'd like to present to you, the future Mrs. Chason Thacherny."

* * *

Chance sat at Kagome's bedside as Kagome weakly tried to eat a bit of stew while she was conscious. For the past two weeks, she had been slipping in and out. The past few days, her waking spells were getting longer and longer. The doctors predicted a full recovery in her future. Chance had still avoided showing Kagome the promise ring Chase had presented her with. She turned the page on her magazine and the ring passed into her line of view. She smiled and peered up at Kagome, closing the magazine and placing it in her lap. 

"Kagome," she said a bit uneasily, "I've got something to tell you."

Kagome looked up, her sunken eyes boring into Chance's. "What is it, Chance?"

She smiled and twisted the ring until the three emeralds were in full view before she held up her hand for Kagome to inspect. "It's a promise ring, not an engagement ring... I know I'm still a junior." She frowned slightly at this. She wished she and Chase could just move in, get married, and get it over with... but she understood that education was important in this day and age.

The bedridden Kagome grinned a toothy grin. "So Chase finally worked up enough courage, ne?" she said, slurping up some of the broth.

Chance nodded. "I'm so glad you approve."

"Bah," Kagome waved one hand feebly. "He makes you happy. I can see it in your eyes. Whatever makes you happy makes me happy." She suddenly got a darker look. "But I'd advise you to rethink your relationship..." she warned, shaking a finger at her. "A girl needs time to shop around before she knows what she wants, y'know?"

The half-demon nodded and quieted as Inuyasha entered the room. Inuyasha knew about the promise ring, but he wasn't happy about it. He protested that the two were still too young, even if Chase and Chance's love was obvious and at times obnoxious. He doubted the marriage would last if they got around to it. He smiled lightly as Kagome looked up at him lovingly. He folded his hands over the side of the bed and glared at the ring on Chance's finger. Kagome reached over and patted his hand in a slightly reprimanding gesture. He grunted and looked out the window.

"Uncle Inu, sometimes you're more protective of me than Dad." said Chance with a slight giggle.

* * *

There, your very first, extremely fluff-puffed chapter. Almost made me gag... Next chapter, we'll be getting into the lawsuit against dear Naraku.

_Tumbleweed_


	17. Just Let Me Forget

I know what you're thinking.

Oh my GAWED! Two new chapters in only two days! Tumbleweed must be going insane! Yeah, maybe... I just wanna get BB out of the way, as bad as that sounds. I promise I'll try and hit 20 chapters though. I want reviews!

In this chapter, the court battle begins. However, half of it probably isn't how it really works in real courts, but I did my best. It's got a butt load of dialogue, and it gets difficult to be totally descriptive when the room doesn't change, and neither do the people. LE SIGH, but I got through it. I hope you like.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

* * *

Chance had been picked up by Chase, giving him a peck on the cheek as she climbed into the Mercedes Benz his father lent him. Driving back, they took the longer, scenic route through another city. On their way through, they passed a junkyard. Chase spotted a vaguely familiar car inside the lot and slowed down, turning into the driveway that led inside the scrap yard. An old, scruffy-looking man came up to the window. 

"Can I help you?"

Chase nodded and got out of the car, motioning for Chance to follow him. "When did this car come in?" he asked, pointing to the beat-up SUV.

The man scrutinized the car for a moment. "Eh... about a week ago." He said, scratching his head. He looked back toward the two teenagers with a suspicious look. "Why?"

"Could I have a look at it?"

"Be my guest. It's a piece of shit," He spat on the ground and continued as Chase got out of the car. "No engine, windows broken, tires flat... Horrible paint job, too. I think they used house paint."

Chase toddled carefully over the broken glass and scrap metal that the scrap yard had to offer. Chance followed behind him. The car was a rusty red, and had been obviously dusted with dirt artificially. The tires had been blown, but still looked fairly new. The windows were tinted, though three of them and the windshield had been smashed in. The back seat had been pushed back all the way into the trunk space. "Chance," Chase said, looking to her. "Does this car look familiar to you?"

Chance nodded. "Yes," she said, peering around the car carefully. "It was black... But I think Naraku has thoroughly screwed up." She set a hand on the side of the car and rubbed lightly. The reddish-brown paint came off easily under the pressure, only to show sleek, black paint underneath. Chase smirked. "Yes, he has."

Grinning, Chase pulled out his cell phone. "Mr. E, I think we've found a piece of evidence against Naraku."

* * *

It was the court date. Kagome was not the leading lawyer of the slew, but she was first council. She was still too weak to take on the entire case on her own, so many of her friends and colleagues were helping her, some without pay. Inuyasha sat in the audience, along with Chase, Chance, Sesshomaru, Miroku, Shippo, Rin, and Kagura. Naraku was glaring at Kagura, increasing it tenfold with every moment that she effortlessly ignored him. Chance felt uneasy around Naraku, and Kagura, so she placed herself between Chase, Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha. Chase held her hand and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles in attempts to calm her nerves. 

"Kagome will take him down," Chase whispered into her ear, kissing her cheek lightly. "Don't worry."

"All parties rise for the honorable Judge Martin." said the bailiff. The courtroom, as one, stood up.

Judge Martin was a tall, skinny woman with long, curly red hair up in a bun. She had a pair of reading glasses perched on her nose as she entered the room. She surveyed the room with an air of authority. "You may sit." she said, waving a hand dismissively. She sat down beside the witness stand and hit the block with her gavel. "This court is now in session." Kagome handed one of the lawyers a piece of paper. He read it over, nodded, and stood. He folded his hands behind his back. "For recording purposes, state your name and firm."

"Prosecution attorney, Joshua Bingham of Higurashi, Taylor, and Whitt." said the lawyer without difficulty. The judge nodded and waved her hand for him to continue. "Imagine yourself as a young girl, around sixteen or seventeen. While being visited by your best friend, and just having a good time with she and your boyfriend, your best friend is involved in a hit-and-run, right down your own street. Of course, you run out and yell at your boyfriend to call 911. However, you don't expect a black sport utility vehicle to pull up and drive away, no less shoot at your boyfriend as he comes out to see why you were screaming. You're taken to a new place, and beaten if one thing you do is done wrong. You're given back, safe and sound, but wouldn't you want to have someone fight for your rights against that man that did it to you, and make sure that he never did it ever again?"

The jury murmured in agreement as Mr. Bingham sat down. Judge Martin looked to the other lawyers. "Name and firm," she said stiffly.

"Defense attorney, Aaron Goethe of the Law Offices for Business Protection," said the lawyer smoothly. Judge Martin made sure that the recorder got it down before waving a hand for him to continue. "My job is to protect those who have been falsely accused. My client, the president of the Star Runner Corporation, has been falsely accused of committing the heinous crime of kidnapping one Ms. Chance Echerburry. He has the right to protect himself in the court of the law, and that is exactly what he will do. He will prove that he is innocent, and that he has been wrongly tried for kidnapping an innocent young girl."

Chance frowned and leant against Chase for support as they began to call witnesses. The prosecution went first. "I would like to call a Ms. Chance Echerburry to the stand." Chance gulped and, squeezing Chase's hand once more, walked steadily to the witness stand.

The bailiff held out a bible for her. She placed her left hand over it. "Raise your right hand," She did so. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do." The bible and bailiff returned to their places and Mr. Goethe walked quietly over to her.

"Chance," he stated. "That is a beautiful name; an odd one, as well. Have either of your parents told you how you came by that name?"

"Yes, they have."

"And what is the story behind that name?"

"I was supposed to have a twin, but she was a stillborn. The doctors expected me to be the same, but I wasn't. They named me Chance, as if I had a second chance at life."

Mr. Goethe nodded. "An interesting story,"

"Objection, your honor; what is the relevancy?" Kagome said, standing up at the prosecution table.

"Get on with it, Mr. Goethe." said Judge Martin tiredly.

The lawyer dipped his chin and began to pace. "Ms. Echerburry, could you please tell the jury the events of November seventeenth of last year?"

Chance nodded. "Kagome was watching over me while my father was away on business. Chase arrived and we started to watch television. Kagome left, without giving a reason, though I later learned it was to see Inuyasha. She skipped the stop sign at the end of the street, and was hit by an old, red truck. The driver sped away."

"Did you get the license plate number?"

She nodded. "I did."

"And it was?"

"17C5256." Chance stated clearly.

"Has the prosecution identified the truck?" Mr. Goethe turned toward the prosecution's desk.

"We have, your honor." Kagome held out the papers and the bailiff carried them to Judge Martin.

She looked over them curiously. "The truck is one Mr. Koga Maurols'," said the judge. "You even have photos." She looked up curiously. She showed one to Chance. "Is this the truck you remember?"

Chance nodded. "That was Koga's truck. I saw it in the garage when they took me there."

"How did you come by these?" Judge Martin peered over her glasses at the prosecution.

"Chance was being kept at Koga's home, along with two other girls and a boy." prompted Kagome. "Chance can vouch."

The judge looked to Chance. She cleared her throat. "Koga kept us in his house along with his fiancé, Ayame. They were nice, until you did something wrong. I had to get stitches from one time Koga had beaten me." She heard a low rumble from behind the prosecution. Sesshomaru, Chase, and Inuyasha were each clenching their fists. She smiled lightly at them and the growls ceased.

"Tell the court how you got away, Chance." said Mr. Goethe.

Chance frowned. "Inuyasha came to the door, and Koga let me go."

"Now why would a kidnapper freely let their victim go, without collecting a ransom?" Mr. Goethe looked to the jury. Smiling slightly as he saw they were considering what he had said. "Your witness." he chirped to the prosecution.

Kagome glowered at him and waved a hand toward one of the lawyers. A woman stood and moved toward the witness stand. "Prosecution attorney, Jillian Wilcox of Higurashi, Taylor, and Whitt." she said lightly, her eyes on Chance. "I would like you to continue your story from where you left off."

Chance nodded quietly. "I yelled for Chase to call 911. I was trying to look for a way to get the car door open to see if Kagome was still alive. A black SUV pulled up behind me. I turned around as the door opened, and there were three men inside. They pulled me in, and then drove away down my street. Chase came out of the door and they rolled down the window. They shot him twice." Her voice broke on the last sentence and she closed her eyes as she remembered.

Ms. Wilcox nodded understandably and handed her a tissue. Chance dabbed at her eyes. "Did you see any of those three men's faces?" asked the lawyer quietly.

The girl nodded. "I saw two of them. One of them had a shaved head, purple eyes, and he was a demon. The other," she sniffed and pointed at Naraku, "was him."

"Objection, your honor." piped Mr. Goethe. "How could Ms. Echerburry really see my client in an SUV, with tinted windows?"

"Overruled," Judge Martin growled. She looked back at Chance.

"Are you sure it was Mr. Tsukumura you saw?" asked Ms. Wilcox.

Chance dipped her chin sternly. "When the window rolled down, the sunlight let me see his face. He was the one that shot Chase."

Ms. Wilcox bobbled her head and looked from Kagome and then back to Chance. "And then what happened?"

"They drove me all the way to Koga's house. They didn't let me talk the entire time, and none of them spoke to me. They handed me off to Koga. I tried to run away, but Koga caught me and took me back into the house. He introduced me to the two other girls, Tana and Joanna, and the boy, Robert. Ayame wasn't there often, and she usually just made sure that we were alright when Koga left."

"Did Koga leave often?"

"Objection your honor, relevancy?" piped Mr. Goethe.

"Overruled," Judge Martin growled. "Ms. Echerburry, please answer the question."

"No, he was there most of the time."

"Can you describe the living conditions you were given?"

"It was a nice place." said Chance uneasily. "It was a two-story house, painted yellow. The windows were barred with cast-iron bars like in prisons. The other two girls and I shared a room. Robert had his own room. We had three meals a day in the dining room, but Koga made sure we all had perfect manners, or he'd beat us. We weren't allowed to talk at the table."

Jillian looked to the clock, and back at Kagome, before peering at Chance. "You were gone for six weeks, correct?" Chance murmured a response, and nodded. "What did you do that entire time?"

"Chores," Chance responded. "We'd clean the house; do the laundry, the dishes... Whenever we had free time, we could play cards, board games, or read, but we had to do it quietly. Koga didn't like noise."

"Do you think you could identify Koga if you saw him again?"

"Easily."

"Your honor, I would like to call forth Mr. Koga Maurols for identification by Ms. Chance Echerburry." Chance gazed at Ms. Wilcox like a deer in the headlights. Her toes curled, and she found it hard to swallow. She was afraid of Koga. He was brought in by a two guards, and he was handcuffed. He wasn't struggling, but he sent a burning glower into Chance's eyes. She shivered. "Is this the man who held you captive for six weeks, Chance?" asked Ms. Wilcox.

Chance nodded, looking away from Koga and closing her eyes. She flinched as she remembered Tana's screams during the beating Koga had delivered her for putting the dishes away wrong."

"No further questions, your honor." Ms. Wilcox said quietly.

"You may step down, Ms. Echerburry."

Chance stepped out of the witness stand and had to pass by Koga. He snarled and fought against his chains. She sped up her walk until she made it behind the prosecution table. She sat down beside Chase and buried her head in his neck. He put his arms around her and rubbed her back gently.

"I call Mr. Koga Maurols to the stand, your honor." said Mr. Goethe. Chance shivered and turned away from him. She could still hear his growls, Tana's screams, Ayame's snarls... She closed her eyes tightly and shifted slightly so that she leant more on Chase. He didn't mind. Koga was seated on the witness stand, and raised his right hand as best as he could. He said "I do" and was seated. Mr. Goethe approached him with an obvious ulterior motive. "Mr. Maurols, have you ever seen this man before in your life?" He waved a hand at Naraku.

"Of course I have," Koga snarled. "That's my boss, who turned me in after I worked a bloody good fifteen years for him."

Mr. Goethe's eyebrows rose. He had expected Koga to be on Naraku's side. Apparently, that was where he went wrong. "Prosecution's witness." he piped uneasily, moving back to sit behind the defense table. He murmured quietly with Naraku.

Kagome stood, ready to take on the witness. She was a little shaky on her feet, but was able to lean slightly against the witness stand. "You worked for fifteen years for Mr. Tsukumura?" Koga nodded, glaring at the man. "What do you mean by 'worked for'?"

"I created a distraction while he kidnapped the kid, and then I took care of the brats for him, sometimes for almost years." said Koga. If he was going down, he wasn't going down alone. Naraku would damn well be in jail with him. "He told me to be as rough as possible – "beat some sense into them" he says. Sometimes he even had me kill the kids." He grimaced slightly as he remembered a particularly bloody kidnapping.

"Did you enjoy your job?"

"No, I did not."

Kagome nodded quietly. She already knew this was the man that had run her in with a truck that day, but disregarded the fact. He had been working for Naraku. She could forgive him... maybe. "So you're telling the court that you took no pleasure in harming the children Naraku had you care for?"

Koga glowered at her in a hostile manner. "I'm not a sick bastard like him. I had no choice."

The lawyer's eyebrows rose. "What do you mean by that?"

Mr. Goethe began to scribble helplessly on his notepad, bowing his head. This case was as good as gone... He listened to Koga's response half-heartedly and frantically tried to think of a way for him to turn this back into a positive for him. "He threatened to kill my family if I didn't. I was paid, but I couldn't quit or he'd have them all shot and killed. I'm not the only one he's got in his firm like me."

"Objection, your honor!" said Mr. Goethe frantically. "What is the relevancy of these questions to the kidnapping case of Ms. Echerburry?"

Judge Martin frowned. He was right – this really didn't have much relevancy to the kidnapping case, which was what they were currently examining. "He's right, Ms. Higurashi. Please get to the point, and attack Mr. Tsukumura later."

Kagome scowled, but dipped her chin and obediently got back to the point. "I'm sorry you were employed like that, Mr. Maurols. However... can you tell me exactly how long Chance was in your possession?"

"Two months," he replied.

She nodded. "And how many times did you beat her under Naraku's orders?"

"Only three times," Koga sounded guilty. Chance had listened and forgave him, now watching Kagome work a little easier.

The lawyer turned with a triumphant to Judge Martin. "No further questions, your honor."

"You may step down, Mr. Maurols."

* * *

Ooh little angsty there... And I really love reviews people. If you want to make me happy, click the button! You know you want to...

_Tumbleweed_


	18. The Final Say & The Green Monster

Again, a lotta dialogue in this chapter as Kagura takes the stand. I promise the next chapter will have more content in it, but I have got to say ONE THING about ONE reviewer that completely Made My Day. Today was a rather bad day, as I found out that I am actually failing two classes > And then I come home to find this in my email box.

"this story has got to be one of your greatest...i liked the other trucker one but this one...in my opinion...is better..." - Animayangel.

Huge thank you to you, and any other reviewers that have managed to make me happy over the course of this story (quite a few!). I loooove you all, but y'know I'd love yah more if I had more than 28 reviews. -.- I know anyone that's reading this and likes it has got to be like "That's all!" but yeah, I've only got 28 reviews on BB. And people wonder why I'm reluctant to update.

But anyways, thanks to animayangel, and every single other reviewer. At the end of the story, I'll list all of you guys. THANKS A BUNCH!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" by Travis Tritt ( Great song, go DL it or find a friend with it.)

* * *

The case against Naraku Tsukumura moved along swiftly after Koga's testimony. Chase testified that he had seen the black SUV, and had been shot twice by Naraku. He too had seen Naraku's face. Inuyasha testified that he had seen the house Chance had described, and had even spotted Ayame. Most of those testimonies went on easily, and now, on the fifth day in court, it was Kagome's turn to call a witness. She stood after surveying her paperwork on the desk. She only had Ms. Wilcox and Mr. Bingham with her, instead of the five others she'd had on the first day. The case was getting easier.

"I'd like to call Ms. Kagura Takada to the stand." she said clearly, lifting her head to look at Judge Martin. Kagura marched up to the stand, glancing momentarily at Naraku with a slight, triumphant smirk. She swore to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, smoothed out her skirt, and sat down. Kagome walked out from behind the prosecution table and came to stand before Kagura. "Ms. Takada, please describe for us your job at Star Runner Corps."

Kagura nodded and folded her hands on her lap. "I'm Mr. Tsukumura's personal secretary."

"Personal secretary?" Kagome echoed. "What exactly do you do for Mr. Tsukumura?"

The wind demon gave a light smile, peering at Kagome with unnerving confidence shining in her red eyes. "I arrange the kidnappings, negotiate his ransoms, pick his victims, and make sure that they are taken care of by Koga. I also give directions to Koga, from Mr. Tsukumura."

Kagome nodded with a slight smile. This was getting too easy. "Do you get orders from Naraku to do these things?" Kagura nodded. "Does he pay you?" She nodded once more. "Do you take pleasure in your job?"

Kagura shook her head. "No, I do not. I'm employed in a similar fashion to Mr. Maurols."

"Really now?" Kagura nodded. "That's interesting. What does Mr. Tsukumura threaten you with?"

"Objection your honor," Mr. Goethe said. "Relevancy?"

Judge Martin sighed. All Goethe had now was objections and not allowing Kagome to expose Naraku's inner workings. "Get to the point, Ms. Higurashi." she said tiredly.

"I'm getting there, your honor." she assured. Kagome held up her hands in a placating gesture toward the judge before looking back to Kagura. "Please answer the question, Ms. Takada." she directed.

The witness nodded easily. "I have a younger sister named Kanna. He threatens to have Koga kidnap and kill her."

Kagome put on a grim face and dipped her chin. "I've been told that you were the one who told Mr. Saginuma where Ms. Echerburry was?" Kagura 'mhm'd. "Would you please tell the court exactly why you did that?"

"I knew that without Chance's testimony, Mr. Tsukumura would get off scott-free. However, if Chance was released under his nose and testified, he would be going down, and my sister and I would be safe."

The lawyer smirked. "And what did you do?"

"I called Koga and told him not to resist Inuyasha, and just to hand Chance over. I lied and said it was under Naraku's orders. I told Inuyasha where to find Chance, and he went and got her the next day. Naraku didn't have a clue." Kagura smiled lightly.

"Did you arrange Chance's kidnapping?"

"No, I did not. Naraku arranged that himself, and only told me to have Koga give a distraction at the specified time."

"Which was?"

"Four-thirty p.m."

"Why was that time exactly specified?" Kagome's brows furrowed and she leaned toward Kagura to listen.

Kagura smirked. "Naraku knew that Chance loved music, and would no doubt be watching the music show. We also knew that Sesshomaru was away on business, and that you would be babysitting. We had that video play early and knew that you would most likely go to see Inuyasha. That was an easy distraction. We also knew that Koga would be able to perform a hit-and-run, but Naraku wasn't betting on Chance's amazing memory." Kagura was praising Chance. Chance liked this woman, despite the fact that she arranged more than half of her miserable two months.

Kagome nodded and turned to the jury. "Everything was exactly planned then?" She glanced back at Kagura. The jury's eyes were fixed on Kagura as she said "yes." Kagome grinned. "Sounds to me like Naraku holds all the blame for this one."

"Objection, your honor – personal opinion."

"Overruled."

The lawyer returned to her table. "No further questions, your honor."

"Mr. Goethe, do you have anything to ask Ms. Takada?"

"No, your honor."

Judge Martin looked down to Kagura. "You may step down." Kagura left back through the swinging doors. "Any more witnesses, evidence, or statements?" Neither the prosecution nor the defense said anything. "Closing statements, please."

Kagome stood, after Mr. Goethe hesitated. "Over the past five days, we have learned about the inner workings of the Star Runner Corps. We've heard from Mr. Tsukumura's _personal secretary_ and one of his well-paid associates. Neither had anything good to say. No one is on this man's side, except for the lawyer he pays for. This case is an easy one, your honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. Guilty until proven innocent in the court of law... I do not believe it has been proved." She sat back down behind the prosecution desk. "The prosecution rests."

"The defense has no statement. The defense rests." Mr. Goethe said helplessly. He knew an angry jury when he saw one, and the jury in the court room was not on Naraku Tsukumura's side.

Judge Martin picked up her gavel. "This court will now take a recess. Tomorrow at one o'clock p.m., the verdict will be read." The gavel slammed down on the polished wooden plank and she left the room.

* * *

"All arise for the honorable Judge Martin."

Everyone stood up and the jury filed in after the judge was seated. "Are there any last-minute testimonies?" Neither lawyer stood. Mr. Goethe knew when he was down, and Kagome knew she had easily won the case. Judge Martin looked to the jury. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict, or do we get to wait longer?"

"We have reached a verdict your honor." said the woman in the front left-hand corner of the jury's seating area. She stood up and lifted a piece of paper. "In the kidnapping trial of Echerburry against Tsukumura, the ladies and gentlemen of the jury have found Mr. Tsukumura guilty of all charges."

Chance hugged Chase so tight that he thought he was turning blue. Kagome was still tense, however, her eyes on the judge. She had the final say. Judge Martin nodded and slammed the gavel down. "The honorable Judge Martin agrees to the verdict. Sentencing will be done on the thirteenth of March."

Cheers erupted in the courtroom and Kagome volleyed over the small gates that divided the courtroom from the audience and half-tackled Inuyasha. He twirled her around and Chase did something of the like with Chance. Sesshomaru sat and watched his family. Rin had put her head into her hands. It had been a mixed-emotions case for her. Should her fiancée win the battle, or should her daughter? Sesshomaru refused to allow himself to pat her on the back.

Kagura had been present for the verdict, and she moved in front of Sesshomaru, holding her hand out. "Congratulations." she said smoothly, her cool gaze settling on him. Sesshomaru shook her hand and stared up into her eyes with a small 'thank you' leaving his lips.

* * *

One year later...

It was a beautiful spring day. Chance and Chase's hands were entwined as they took the footpath through the park. Chase was staring at the ground as he walked, humming a tune. His other hand was in his pocket. Chance was silent, staring ahead in thought. Her other hand clutched her guitar case, with little reason to let go. It was the newest guitar Inuyasha had given her. Both were mentally worn out from the trail, and a week of final testing. Chance broke out of her thought and listened to the tune Chase was humming. She began to softly sing the words.

"And it's a great day to be alive; I know the sun's still shining when I close my eyes. There's some hard times in the neighborhood, but why can't every day be just this good? Sometimes it's lonely; sometimes it's only me and the shadows that fill this room. Sometimes I'm fallin', desperately callin', howling at the moo-oo-oon," Both she and Chase tipped their heads back and howled just for the hell of it.

The two collapsed into giggles after that and they sat down on a bench. Chase put his arm over her shoulders and held her close. The two just enjoyed the other's company more than anything. Chance placed her head on his shoulder and managed to get her nose to barely touch his neck. Chase shivered and shifted so he was able to kiss her. They heard a shout from across the park and looked up to see Bailey, Bridgit, and Devin marching toward them. Chase leant back and resisted the urge to growl and walk away with her. The fact that Chance seemed excited to see them helped him restrain himself.

Chance got up; leaving her guitar in Chase's tender loving care. He sat up and set his elbows on his knees to watch her trot over to the boys and give each a hug. His eyebrow rose at Bailey, who seemed to take his time letting go of her. A light growl signaled his distaste in the man and he got up, moving over toward the group. He slipped a possessive arm around her waist and sent a pointed look in Bailey's direction. Bailey only gave an uneasy smile in return.

A car horn sounded and Chance's head turned first. "Jakken's here." she said a little sadly. "I've got to go. It's time for Kagome's baby shower." Taking Chase's hand momentarily, she kissed the corner of his mouth. "I'll see you later." she whispered in a low tone before grabbing her guitar and running off toward the limousine. Chase stared after her with a smile.

* * *

Well. It seems we have some jealousy going on between Chase and Bailey... hmmm... 


	19. Graduation & Parrrrtay!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

SNIFF SNIFF! Last chapter. I'm sad to see this one go. Excited, but sad. Don't worry; I've still got the epilogue to do...

* * *

Graduation.

The one day in every high-schooler's life that they look forward to, push toward stubbornly, and sometimes fail to reach. But Chance was here. Chase was here. He'd already had his own graduation, and he was attending hers, just as she had done with his. The nine-month pregnant (with twins) Kagome was there, along with her husband, Inuyasha. They had gotten engaged two months after the trial, and married six months afterward. Kagome had been pregnant at the wedding, but no one had said anything.

Along with Chase came Sesshomaru, Christian, Rin, all of her friends from Bayford, Shippo, and Miroku. She apparently had plenty of support, and was glad for it. She was still plenty bitter at her mother for crying for Naraku at the trial, but the fact that she showed up at her graduation helped ease the anger. They stood in line beside the stage, crawling forward slowly. On her feet were two-inch heels. She was wearing a black dress with navy blue lining under her red gown. She was graduating with honors, and there was a party to be held later on at Chance's place.

Little did she know that Chase had an ulterior motive to take care of at the party...

Before she knew it, her name was called. Chance trotted daintily up the steps and retrieved her diploma, shaking the principal's hand. She waved for a photograph opportunity before taking her place in the crowd behind the principal. Chase smiled proudly at her and waved, keeping the video camera straight in his other hand as he filmed the whole occasion.

After the ceremony, Chance had managed to find one of her friends, Kohaku, in the crowd. She managed to drag him over to the group of people that had been rooting for her. She gave Chase a peck on the cheek, taking his hand before turning back to the boy she'd yanked all the way over, his elder sister Sango, and his cousin, Kirara.

"Kohaku," she said, waving at her friends and family, "This is my boyfriend, Chase. That's my dad, Sesshomaru, Bailey, Bridgit, Devin, Chelsey, Brooklyn, Michelle, and Becca. That's my Uncle Inuyasha, and Aunt Kagome, my mom, Rin..." She eyed the crowd until she found the place where Shippo and Miroku were standing. "And that's Miroku, and Shippo." She smiled back at Kohaku. "Everyone, this is my friend Kohaku, his sister Sango, and his cousin Kirara."

Miroku stared at Sango, his eyebrow ticking slightly. "Woah."

* * *

The party's music could be heard pulsating from six blocks away. Until eleven o'clock, it was going to stay that way. Chance, while she mainly danced with Chase, could be seen dancing with all of her guy friends at one point of another. Occasionally, a scream, the crack of a slap, and a shriek of "PERVERT!" could be heard. Chance grinned slightly as she headed out to the pool area. She took off her heels and carefully sat down, rolling up the skirt of her dress. She sighed gently as her feet dipped into the water.

Everyone had mainly stayed inside the air-conditioned house, as it was a summer night and the heat outside was stifling. Chase had quietly followed after her, and appeared beside her in a pair of shorts. His shoes had disappeared as well as he sat down next to Chance. "Hey babe," he murmured, kissing her temple and taking her hand as he sat down. "Tired?"

Chance nodded sleepily, leaning her head onto his shoulder. "It's been one hell of a party..."

"Yup," he agreed, nodding. He looked up at the stars that were visible from their position. He smiled. "Hey, look. There are some stars out." He pointed up at the stars and smiled reverently. "I remember when we used to stay out until two in the morning staring at those."

She smiled and gazed up at them. The two lapsed into a comfortable silence which no one dared to break. Neither of them noticed that the music had toned itself down slightly. They didn't notice a bunch of faces staring at them through the window. Chase slipped his hand into his pocket and retracted a small, silver ring with three diamonds. He held it behind his back. They didn't hear the unisoned gasp from inside the house.

"What are you thinking about?" Chance asked.

Chase smiled. "Nothing much..." he replied. "Just that one night where I told you whose face I saw in my dreams." Chance placed a lazy smile on her face, closing her eyes and remembering. He let go of her right hand and reached over to her left. He picked it up and she opened her eyes to watch him remove the promise ring from her finger before replacing it with a silver ring, encrusted with two diamonds on either side of a small sapphire. She gasped.

"Chase..."

He placed a finger on her lips before kissing her. "Be my wife, Chance. Soon," he said as he pulled away from the kiss.

Chance beamed. The moment was picture-perfect.

Sango was boiling. She felt a familiar hand on her behind, and as much as she was loathe ruining the moment, she had to. She slapped Miroku, hard, and let out a shrill cry of, "PERVERT!"

Chase and Chance whirled around to find a sea of faces in the back window, all grinning innocently at them. "I think this has just turned into an engagement-graduation party." Chance murmured, a smile appearing on her face. Chase frowned. The moment was gone, though the hilarity of the moment was still retained. Chance giggled and stood, flicking her feet off and leaving little droplets on the stone beside the pool. She held a hand out to Chase. "C'mon, I want to go dance."

* * *

"I CAN'T DO THIS!" Kagome screamed, squeezing Inuyasha's hand with all her might. Chance stood on her left, hand on her shoulder. She'd seen the bruises on Inuyasha's other hand, and wasn't about to let her hand be marred in the same way.

"Come on, Kagome!" Chance told her. "You've taken down Naraku, you can easily have twins."

Kagome glowered at her, her gaze holding an evil undertone. "You've no right to talk until you've had kids of your own, missy!" she groused loudly. The shrill cry of a baby broke through any retort Chance might've been saving up. Kagome's breathing was still labored – there was still one more. While the nurses cleaned up the first baby, she shrieked loud enough to make a few of the nurses, who were human, wince – not telling of the damage done to Inuyasha and Chance's sensitive ears.

"Inuyasha, you are so dead as soon as I can MOOOVEEE!" she yelled at her husband. Inuyasha flinched as she threw threats at him.

Inuyasha looked up at the doctor. "Is the threatening part normal?" The doctor nodded. Thirty seconds later, another shrill cry pierced the air. Kagome's breathing began to calm down, though it would take a good week or two for Inuyasha's hands to be the same again. Chance's ears, though ringing, were able to hear the baby's coo as one was set into Kagome's arms, the other in Inuyasha's. She smiled lightly and managed to snap a photo of star lawyer and rock god, with their two new additions to the family.

* * *

(And since I love ending stories like this)

After the wedding, Chance and Chase moved into a quaint little house in a residential area near the Mark Twain Elementary School (K-5), Stanford Middle School (6-8), and Woodrow Wilson High School (9-12), as well as their college, California State University of Long Beach. Chance opened the white picket fence's gate and greeted their tabby cat, Whiskers, which sat on the wooden porch swing, like usual. Digging through her purse to find her keys, she pulled the mail out of the black mail box in a practiced manner. Balancing her back pack on one shoulder, her purse on her wrist, keys in one hand, and mail in the other, she managed to open the screen door with her foot and slip the keys into the slot on the heavy wooden door.

Chance had visited the gynecologist that day. She was still a little pale from the news, but managed to set her purse down on the countertop, her backpack in the hallway, and the mail on the dining room table. Sitting down at the table after fetching herself a glass of water, she flipped on the light with a stretch and flipped through the mail.

"Bill, bill, bill, junk, junk, bill..." She lifted one up to the light to check on it. "Junk." she proclaimed, tossing it down on the table with a sigh. So much for finding something to rein her interest until Chase got home. She couldn't tell him she was pregnant over the phone... he'd kill himself driving home.

Placing her head in her hands, she sighed. She needed to see Kagome.

The half-demon picked up the phone and held it to her ear as she dialed. It rang and she crossed her arms over her chest as she held the phone between her head and shoulder. Kagome picked up the phone, balancing a baby on one hip and trying to keep her twin toddlers at bay. "Hello?"

"Kagome," Chance said, smiling lightly. "I... need to talk to you."

"Kids and all?" Kagome sounded hopeful that she wouldn't have to bring along all three of her children.

Chance smiled grimly. "Kids and all."

"You're so mean to me, Chance... I'll be there in ten minutes."

Kagome arrived in ten minutes, as promised, with baby Abigail on her hip and the twin boys, Jordan and Jason, running straight for the back room, which had a television and plenty of toys for them to play with. "Boys, watch your sister!" Kagome yelled, setting Abigail down and watching her toddle down the hallway nervously. The boys replied with a 'sure' in unison. Kagome sat down on the couch and looked to Chance through the window the bar provided. "What's so important that you need to talk to me in person, Chance?"

Chance gazed up at Kagome over the bar, setting down a glass of tea for herself. "I'm pregnant." she said flatly. Kagome's eyebrows disappeared under her bangs, an astonished look appearing on her face. She wasn't aware that Chance had stopped using protection. "The doctor said it was more than one, but they can't be sure."

"Twins?" Kagome breathed. "Oh geesh, girlfriend, you've got a **job** ahead of you..."

Shaking her head, Chance brought two glasses of tea into the room. "They don't know if it's twins, triplets... quads." She squeaked the last part. "Oh gosh... I can't imagine having four kids at once, Kagome. I mean... three seem like a handful for you, and only two of them are the same age. But if I had four?" Chance paled and set her glass of tea down before she dropped it.

"Relax, Chance." Kagome assured her, patting the girl's shoulder. "You're how old now?"

Chance didn't understand how the question was relevant, but she answered anyways. "Twenty-two next month."

Kagome shrugged. "You'll be alright." She pulled a bag of goldfish crackers out of Abigail's diaper bag and started to munch on them.

"I know I can handle it, but I don't want kids yet." she stressed, waving one of her hands. "I'm not even out of college yet. I don't have a major, I don't have a steady income, and Chase barely has a steady income... I can't handle kids right now!" She began to quake. Lately, Chance had become more and more easily roused.

Being an experienced mother, Kagome knew what Chance was going through. It was the panic that set in, after the happiness and dread had set in for an unprepared mother. "Chance," she said. Chance was still unresponsive, listing off the things that assured her that the pregnancy would go wrong, most of which were completely irrational. "Chance!" she barked. Going into take-charge-mode (which she hadn't gotten to do since she went on her two-year pregnancy leave with Abigail), she pointed a stern finger in Chance's face. "You are a strong young woman, and you can and will handle this. I'll help you find someone to babysit them while you're in classes, and I'll even be here to help you whenever you need me. Stop freaking out."

Chance whined and leant back against the couch. "I'm only twenty-two, Kagome." she whimpered. "I don't even want kids right now. If it were only one, I could handle it, but it's more than one. I can't do this..."

"Quit being pessimistic," Kagome ordered. "You can do this. Twins are hard to get, triplets are rare, quads are legends, and anything above that are myths that happen maybe once in a generation." Popping another cracker into her mouth, she shook her head. "You'll be fine."

Taking a deep breath, Chance nodded. The two chatted about other things until Chase got home almost two hours later. Chance let out a little squeak and got up, making herself busy in the kitchen. Chase threw a questioning look to Kagome as he loosened his tie. She shrugged. Chase moved to into the bedroom to change into a pair of pajama pants. He and Chance weren't going anywhere tonight. He then moved into the back room and surprised his three little nephews and niece.

"UNCLE CHASE!" they unisoned, rugby-tackling him.

Chance smiled lightly as she heard the shriek from the kids, but the thump that followed worried her. She popped her head in the hallway to make sure they were alright, before retracting when she saw Chase wrestling with the boys. She began cooking dinner as she normally did.

"Are you going to tell him?" Kagome asked from the living room.

Appearing a deer in the headlights, Chance looked to Kagome. "After you leave," she said quietly.

Kagome nodded and stood after packing away the crackers she'd gotten out of Abigail's diaper bag. "Jordan! Jason! Abby! Let's skedaddle!" A groan could be heard coming from the twins, but Abigail obediently waddled into the room. She clapped her hands and held her arms out to her mother, whom picked her up. The twins had to be half-dragged out to the car, but Chase promised to go visit the six-year-olds soon.

Chase returned to the house and sat down at the bar. He watched his wife making dinner and noted that her hands were a little shaky. He'd also noticed that she seemed a little paler than usual, and worry lines etched through her forehead. "Chance," he called lightly. She peered up at him after almost dropping the knife she'd been handling. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head and gave a forced smile. "No," she said, shaking her head and carefully returning her attention to the tomatoes she was slicing. "I just got a startling bit of news this afternoon."

"No kidding," Chase said quietly. An unfamiliar, uncomfortable silence lapsed between the two. Chase cleared his throat. "Care to clue me in?"

Chance slid the tomatoes from the cutting board into the pot of noodles. She folded her hands and turned to face him. "Chase," she said quietly, somewhat avoiding his gaze. "I'm pregnant."

The man blinked. "Pregnant?" he echoed. Chance nodded and swallowed. She began to stir the noodles helplessly. After a moment, the information processed. He stood up and moved around into the kitchen turning her around and putting his arms around her. "That's great, babe... why are you sad?"

"They said there's more than one, but they don't know for sure." she said despairingly. "I don't know if I can handle kids right now... We don't have that kind of money and neither of us really has the time..." she trailed off as she gazed up into his eyes.

He placed a finger on her lips. "Nine months, Chance." he said. "We've got nine months to get ready for them, no matter how many there are. We can both get secure jobs by then, and we'll both be out of college in nine months. Do the math on the dates."

Chance though it over and then nodded, a small smile appearing on her face. "You're right... we've only got two more months of schooling..." A grin broke out over her face. "We're going to be _parents_!" she squealed and hugged him tight. "I've gotta call Daddy!" She released Chase, but he kept his arms around her. She stomped her foot and glared at him playfully. "Let me go call Dad." Chase kissed her before he let her go. He then hunted around for his cell phone so he could call his own parents.


End file.
